Buena’s Fay Scores Every Way but With Recruiters

A college recruiter scurried into the crowded gymnasium during the first half of a recent Channel League basketball game and quickly scanned the players on the floor, looking for Buena High guard Lance Fay.

Although Fay entered the game averaging more than 30 points, the recruiter had not seen Fay play. His eyes stopped at Buena guard Nick Houchin, who within seconds buried a three-point shot and made a nifty move that left a defender looking for his shoes.

“You gotta love that court savvy,” the recruiter said.

Sure. But that’s Nick Houchin, he was told.

“Hmmm. Oh, that must be him,” the recruiter said as he eyeballed Buena center Andy Saint. “Nice build.”

That is a nice build. But that isn’t Lance Fay.

The puzzled recruiter further scrutinized the players.

He stared hard at Darien Roberts, a guard from Ventura.

“Fay’s from Buena, right?” he asked.

Such is the life of Lance Fay, who sees college recruiters as infrequently as he does a zone defense. Fay, a 6-foot-1 senior, has averaged 31.8 points this season and four times has scored more than 40.

Last week, he scored 84 points in two league wins. He was 15 for 22 from the field, including seven for 11 from three-point range, and scored 41 points in an 82-68 defeat of Rio Mesa last Wednesday.

“He just put on a show against Rio Mesa,” usually reserved Buena Coach Glen Hannah said.

In Friday’s matchup of the league’s unbeaten teams at San Marcos’ deafening gymnasium, Fay scored a career-high 43 points and hit two crucial shots to lead the Bulldogs (13-4, 7-0 in league play) to a 78-77 win in overtime. “He just killed us,” San Marcos Coach Jeff Lavender said. “We tried just about every defense we had, but it didn’t matter.”

Buena trailed, 70-67, when Fay buried a 22-foot shot with 16 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. Then Fay hit a twisting, off-balance shot from 17 feet--while being fouled--that gave Buena a one-point lead with three seconds left in the extra period.

The play capped a performance that is magnificent to many but seemingly routine for Fay, a creative shot-maker who has averaged 34 points in league play.

“He’s faced so many defenses, and it just doesn’t seem to faze him,” Hannah said. “He has so many shots and so many different angles. When he misses a shot, he looks at the basket like there’s something wrong with it.”

Fay is equally puzzled by the lack of interest shown by college recruiters. Fay is a prolific scorer but appears to lack the quickness and jumping ability of a potential NCAA Division I player.

Interest in Fay has been limited to schools such as Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Hawaii-Pacific, Cal Lutheran and Western Washington. The struggling programs at Portland and Cal State Northridge are the only ones from Division I that have shown interest.

“I don’t know what else I can do,” said Fay, who also averages six assists and four steals. “I think I’m playing good, but I’m still waiting for more interest. I can’t really do much more.”

Buena’s opponents can only hope that is true.