Adam Hieb Makes Points With Move To Nc Hoops Team
When Adam Hieb talks basketball, his eyes sparkle.
Which is, in part, why Hieb moved from Ferris High School to North Central.
The Indians’ starting wing loves to play the game.
When Hieb’s game minutes diminished at Ferris, his enjoyment of school waned and his grades suffered.
He was granted a hardship transfer to NC midway through his junior year.
“It wasn’t looking too good for playing time at Ferris,” the candid Hieb said. “I knew I could play somewhere.”
Accepted by returning NC players and new coach Jay Webber, Hieb has proved his point.
He’s a happier person at NC and is averaging 13 points per game overall during his senior season.
Webber said that with the program change, it was probably easier for Hieb to step into the Indian lineup.
“But it’s still a tough transition for a senior,” Webber said. “It takes a special person to make that adjustment.”
Hieb was shy at first, and it took him a while to warm to his surroundings. Now he fits right in.
“The thing was, nice people came up to me, and they accepted me quickly,” he said.
The move to North Central was made in part because he knew former Indians basketball coach Don Van Lierop, a teacher at Ferris.
Webber welcomed the addition.
“He’s done a great job for us,” said NC’s coach. “He’s plenty quick and athletic enough.
“Coming from a program that’s so successful, he brings with him a winning attitude.”
Hieb lived in Reardan, Wash., a State B basketball power, before moving into the Ferris area.
Always one of the smaller players and a bench sitter in youth ball, things changed by eighth grade.
His dad, Bill, told him that if he wanted to be a player, he would have to sleep, eat and breathe basketball.
The sport soon became his favorite, and he saw considerable playing time until his junior year.
“He had been a starter on our freshman team and a major contributor,” said Saxon coach Wayne Gilman.
“Things change from the freshman year on, and other kids make strides.
“We just had a group of kids who in my opinion at that time were ahead of him,” Gilman said. “He’s still a very good player.”
Hieb’s said he was too competitive and hated sitting on the bench. He quit the Ferris team as a junior and ultimately switched schools.
“Our position was, while I would have liked him to stay, if he wanted to move, we certainly were not going to block it,” said Gilman.
Gilman and Hieb expressed respect for each other. The change worked well for Hieb, who is NC’s third-leading scorer behind Marshall Kuhlman and Jerry Holdren and is 12th in league.
The Indians, after upsetting league runner-up Mead, were in solid playoff position until losing twice last week, to Central Valley and Shadle Park.
They are currently two games out of sixth place, the league’s final district tournament berth.
“We were expecting to be in the playoffs,” said Webber.
“Everything was OK until last week. But the way this league is, I would not count us out right yet.”
Whether the Indians can rally and finish among the league’s top six, or their season ends next Thursday, Hieb is still glad he switched schools.
“The thing is, if I was still at Ferris, I’d be on the bench,” he said.
“At least here I get to play and have fun. Basketball is one of my favorite things to do.”
Having fun is what basketball is all about for Adam Hieb.
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