Going After Competition Klaudt Finds Challenge He Wants In Montana

In many ways, Scott Klaudt’s move to Montana has been like a homecoming.

Born in Montana, Klaudt transferred this school year from Post Falls to Hellgate in Missoula, where his father, Don, and the uncle Scott was named for were high school basketball standouts.

It’s been nothing short of surreal.

He left Post Falls where he was a two-year starter on teams with losing records. Through Tuesday, Post Falls was 0-9. Hellgate, ranked No. 1 for a week and coming off a third-place finish at state last year, is 6-1 and considered a challenger for a state title.

Klaudt doesn’t deny that part of his decision to transfer was to have an opportunity to play on a state-qualifying team. Among other reasons, the 6-foot and still-growing guard wanted the chance to showcase his talents for college recruiters.

He also wanted to make himself a better player.

Klaudt is on pace to realize his dreams.

“Playing in the Border League was good, but the caliber of play here is much higher,” Klaudt said by phone this week. “Most of the (Border League) teams had one good player. Over here the teams have at least two or three good players.”

Klaudt averaged 18.3 points and was selected first-team All-Border League and co-Inland Empire League player of the year last season.

He’s the second-leading scorer (15.1) at Hellgate. The Knights returned three starters off a team that captured the state consolation title after losing to eventual champion Bozeman in the semifinals.

Klaudt started slowly because of a severely sprained ankle and he sat out the last week of practice before a season-opening trip to Billings.

However, he has scored 19, 18 and a season-high 21 points in the last three games.

“The first four or five games were rough because I didn’t know where I fit in,” Klaudt said. “I wasn’t used to playing with so many good players.”

Or such tall players. Hellgate’s posts stand 6-7 and 6-6.

For Hellgate coach Eric Hays, the addition of Klaudt has been his own version of Back to the Future.

Hays, whose teams have won three state titles in 22 years, coached Scott’s uncle during his first three years at Hellgate.

“Scott came over last March and watched one of our final regular-season games and he came into the locker room and introduced himself as Scott Klaudt,” Hays said. “I said, `Did you have an uncle?’ He said yes. At that point, it was a little eerie. They have a lot of similarities in physical appearance.”

Klaudt’s uncle was a three-year lettermen and two-year starter for Hays. But his love was baseball. He was headed to Arizona State University on scholarship when he died in a car accident at the end of his senior year.

The younger Klaudt is honoring his uncle by wearing his uniform number (14).

The similarities have caused more than one person to shake their heads as if they’re experiencing deja vu.

A picture of Klaudt making a layin appeared in the Billings newspaper after Hellgate’s opener. The next day before the Knights played, a Hellgate cheerleader from the Class of ‘79 approached Hays.

“The name, the same facial expression, the same uniform. She asked if this was a relation,” Hays said.

“This one is better,” Hays said of the younger Klaudt. “Basketball has obviously improved in 23 years. They’re both very comparable for their time.”

Hays expects Klaudt, who is drawing considerable recruiting interest, to exceed his expectations.

“The thing you notice first is his quickness,” Hays said. “He has very quick feet and hands. He has tremendous jumping ability. He’s a good shooter. He’s not shooting as well as he will. He’s really enjoying winning.”

Klaudt averaged 17 shots a game last year. He’s taking six fewer this year, but he’s making a higher percentage.

He’s adjusted from being THE player to being ONE of the players.

“It’s been a feeling-out process,” Hays said. “We’ve never showcased one player and we’ve had a lot of good players. But if he keeps getting better and better, he’ll surpass my expectations I’m sure. As we go along, we’ll have a lot more (special plays) for him and use his strengths.

“The thing I’ve noticed with seniors over the years is most of the time they don’t get better through the season. But Scott will get better and better.”

The transfer hasn’t been without some hardships for the Klaudts.

To make the move legal by state high school athletic association rules, Klaudt had to live with a parent, not extended family. So his mother quit her job to move to Missoula.

His father, a pharmacist at Kootenai Medical Center, commutes to his son’s games. He built up enough comp time and is using vacation so he can attend the games.

“I’ve gotten homesick a few times. You want to have everybody together,” Scott said. “But it’s worked out. I’ve been received pretty well.”