Cheers in Cheney, where everyone knows their names

Long before he became a basketball coach, Jim Hayford was a budding bracketologist.

Every Selection Sunday, beginning in grade school, he’d pull out paper and pencil and fill in the names, but never his own.

Until this year.

Halfway through Sunday’s NCAA selection show, Hayford and his players watched as the name of Eastern Washington appeared on national television alongside Georgetown, the Eagles’ opponent in a second-round game Thursday night in Portland at the Moda Center.

“I’ve been watching this show for 30 years,” Hayford said, then paused. “For the first time ever to see your name up there, it was a really cool moment.”

It also was the capper to a pretty cool weekend for the Eagles, who less than 24 hours earlier claimed the Big Sky Conference tournament championship after a come-from-behind, 69-65 win at Montana.

On Sunday, prior to the selection show, they celebrated with several hundred fans.

Their card to the dance already punched, they got more good news midway through the hourlong show: Befitting their 26-8 record and strong out-of-conference performance, the Eagles earned a No. 13 seed. They also get to play six hours from home against an opponent who must travel to Portland from three time zones away.

Of course, that opponent is a Georgetown team that’s 21-10 and earned a No. 4 seed by finishing tied for second place in a Big East Conference that ranks second in the nation in RPI. The Hoyas also own some pedigree, having appeared in 29 NCAA tournaments and five Final Fours. They won it all in 1984 – back when a teenaged Hayford was filling in his brackets – with legends Patrick Ewing at center and John Thompson as coach.

Success has been passed to his son, John Thompson III, who in 11 seasons has led the Hoyas to eight NCAA appearances and three berths in the NIT – all of that since Eastern made its only previous NCAA appearance in 2004.

“They’re an outstanding team,” said Hayford, who figures he has a pretty special team himself.

The Eagles are enjoying their best season as a Division I program and have won pressure-packed games all over the country, at Indiana in November, at Weber State to clinch a share of the regular-season Big Sky title, and Saturday night at Montana, when the Eagles overcame an 11-point deficit with six minutes to play to beat the Griz.

“My team is fearless,” Hayford said.

And eager. Said forward Felix Von Hofe, “More than anything, the next couple of days are going to be super important, but I can’t wait to get this thing started.”

Neither can the coaches. Seconds after the pairings were announced, Hayford’s assistants were tapping their cellphones and getting the details on the Hoyas.

The real work began Sunday night. “We’ll work past midnight,” Hayford promised.

Playing on Thursday is another bonus for the Eagles, who play their Big Sky games on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Eagles will stick to their usual Monday and Tuesday morning practice schedule, then bus to Portland on Tuesday afternoon.