James Haifley - 2007
#3 - James Haifley
James Haifley
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A TEAM CONTRIBUTOR
James Haifley has not only been a fan favorite, he has been an important part of the most successful class to ever play basketball at Huntington. He has been a driving force, contributing to its success.
During his four years, HU has compiled an overall record of 108-31 (77.7% Wins), an MCC Conference record of 49-13 (79.0% Wins), took the MCC Conference Title his last three years, and the MCC Tournament Championship his last two years.
James has been called upon whenever the team needed more intensity or energy on the court and fans have appreciated his tenacity and competitiveness. He often provided the spark the Foresters needed to start playing tougher defense or getting more aggressive on the boards.
Despite being seventh on the team in playing time this season (averaging 13.5 minutes a game), he was second on the team in steals (29), second best in fewest turnovers per game (0.71 a game), fourth best with his assist/turnover ratio (1.58), and fifth best in offensive rebounds (18).
Another interesting fact is this: James did not miss a single free throw this season, making good on every chance (11 of 11).
HEAD START PROGRAM
It all began in the family driveway, as well as some parks around the Fort Wayne area. James, along with his younger brother Ben and the elder James Haifley (referred to as "Pops"), would spend countless hours on the court battling each other.
As a youngster, James always dreamed of playing college basketball on TV someday. A year ago, that dream became a reality as HU played in an NAIA Championship game that was televised nationally.
"Basketball at Huntington has meant more to me than I ever expected," says Haifley. "I never thought that I would be on a team that would be this successful." And team success is what counts with him.
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BASKETBALL ACHIEVEMENTS
Jimmy scored in 16 games this season, matching his career highs of 8 points in the Forester win at IU-South Bend (NAIA D1). He had a career high of 8 rebounds versus Grace two years ago. He led the team that year and was #1 in the MCC with his 2.73 assist/turnover ratio. He ranked #2 in the MCC last season with the same outstanding assist/turnover ratio.
Outstanding results aside, most of Haifley’s contributions go uncharted in the statistics. As Coach Platt has said, "Clearly, there is no quit in James when it comes to rebounding or chasing a loose ball. He has an unmatched work ethic in practice that challenges other players every day."
HUNTINGTON AND BEYOND
At Homestead High, James was a two-sport athlete playing both football and basketball, helping the basketball Spartans win the sectional championship his junior year.
As a senior, James looked for a college that had three attributes. "I wanted a small Christian College, something close to home, and a place where I could play basketball," he says. Huntington was a perfect fit spiritually, academically, and athletically.
Haifley will graduate soon with a degree in business economics, earning a 3.1 grade point average through his busy college career. He speaks highly of the faculty and the staff at Huntington, pointing out one professor that has benefited him greatly.
"Dr. David McEowen has helped me beyond measure," James says. "He is a supporter of the Foresters, an outstanding teacher, and a great businessman who has taught me how to be successful in business."
FAMILY MATTERS
If you know anything about Jimmy and the Haifley family, you know they are a close-knit bunch. Even though the elder Haifley does a lot of traveling for business, he was always there to support his son.
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