Staying In The Game Ben Heimerman Persisted In His Pursuit Of A Basketball Career After Most Others Would Have Given Up

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 it 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, Heimerman is averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Pirates, 7-1 after winning their tournament this weekend.

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

He picked Whitworth from among a succession of interested small colleges - 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 championship seasons and a 1991 fourth-place state finish before Heimerman cracked the starting lineup as a 6-foot-4, 165-pound post.

“My style was not really to go one-on-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. Solid numbers, but scarcely enough to attract college attention.

Heimerman said he planned to enroll after high school at either the University of 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. “JCs took studs without grades, or players with size.”

But play he did, first enrolling at Wenatchee Valley Community College.

The first year he was red-shirted because of injury. The next year he was cut.

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

He came back home but there wasn’t an opening at Community Colleges of Spokane.

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

The allure of basketball remained strong. A friend from Wenatchee had tranferred to Shoreline, so Heimerman tried there.

He turned out for basketball and said the coach asked 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 joined a lineup with players 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 watched him play against CCS and liked what he saw.

“I thought we needed a JC big man,” said Friedrichs, whose Pirates would finish 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 prove themselves.

“I thought he would probably start. I don’t bring in a JC 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.”

Heimerman was most valuable player of the Snake River Shootout in Lewiston, 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