Working For His Shots Nothing Has Come Easily For Ben Heimerman, But Dogged Determination Has Paid Off

For the better part of his basketball career, Ben Heimerman has validated the power of persistence.

He didn’t make varsity at Gonzaga Prep until his senior season. When he decided to continue playing collegiately, it took two years and three community colleges to do so.

Heimerman can’t really explain why he never quit, only that persistence has paid off.

“I don’t know if it was following your heart or following your stupidity,” he said. “People were telling me ‘no.’ For some reason inside, I had to keep going.”

Now a 22-year-old junior at Whitworth College, the Valley resident is averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Pirates, who are 5-1 going into their tournament this weekend.

Those are numbers comparable to what he compiled last year at Shoreline Community College.

A Catholic, he picked the Presbyterian college from among a succession of interested small colleges - from the University of Hawaii at Hilo to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks - at which to fulfill his laborious hoops dream.

“I wanted to spend time with my family after my so-called escapade was done,” he said.

Gonzaga Prep was coming off two league championship seasons and a fourth-place finish at the 1991 state tournament when Heimerman finally cracked the starting lineup as a 6-foot-4, 165-pound post player.

“My style was not really to go oneon-one,” he explained. “My role is to rebound, get easy putbacks and make free throws.”

He displayed that ability as a senior, averaging 12.2 points on 63 percent shooting, and 7 rebounds per game. Those numbers, his lack of bulk and high grades deterred colleges.

Heimerman said he planned to enroll at either Idaho or Washington State University. He was encouraged to try the community college route to save money, complete his general requirement courses, and maybe even play basketball.

“At that point I didn’t think I would play,” he said. “Jaycees took studs without grades, or players with size.”

But he tried and began a journey that at first was an odyssey from hell.

He enrolled at Wenatchee Valley Community College and was red-shirted because of injury. The next year he was cut.

“After that I was pretty sure I wouldn’t play again,” he said.

Heimerman came back to Spokane to attend CCS and was told there wasn’t an open spot on the team.

“By then I was catching up to people (physically) who had been ahead of me,” said Heimerman, who has grown to 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds.

The allure of basketball led him to Shoreline Community College, where a friend from Wenatchee was attending school.

When he turned out for basketball, the coach asked Heimerman what made him think, after failing elsewhere, he could succeed there?

“I had a bad experience and was down and out, but it showed me the level I had to be,” said Heimerman, who came ready to play.

Heimerman found a place in the lineup, surrounded by athletes who could get up and down the floor.

He was freshman offensive player of the year and as a sophomore was first team all-league and first team all-NWAACCC.

He set school records for most free throws made in a game (16), most free throws made in a season, highest field goal percentage over a two-year period (66 percent) and most double-figure scoring and rebounding games in a season.

Whitworth coach Warren Friedrichs saw him play here against CCS.

“I thought we needed a jaycee big man,” said Friedrichs, whose Pirates last year finished second in the NAIA national tournament. “I liked the fact he could rebound. One thing that attracted me was his Spokane connection.”

Some players don’t like to return home to play, said Friedrichs. Others like to return and show how much they have improved.

“I thought he would probably start, I don’t bring in a jaycee guy unless he can,” said Friedrichs. “Sometimes he’s inconsistent, but, boy, when he gets going he’s really tough on the offensive and defensive boards.”

Earlier this season, Heimerman was most valuable player of the Snake River Shootout in Lewiston, Idaho, scoring 26 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in the title game. He scored 20 and had 17 rebounds against Whitman.

“Getting 17 boards twice is a lot,” said Friedrichs.

Because of his four-year community college stay, Heimerman has only three semesters of eligibility for Whitworth. How they’ll be apportioned is yet to be determined.

He’s just glad he’s had a chance to show what he can do.

“You have to have some ability,” he said. “But if you continue to work hard, things will work out.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo