Although softball will be the sport she plays in college, San Benito High sophomore post Callee Heen enjoys the change-up of playing for the school’s basketball team.
“I like the fact you can be physical and aggressive in basketball (from a contact standpoint),” Heen said. “I like being super scrappy and physical even though some girls and teams will get mad at you if you push them around a lot.”
The 5-foot-9 Heen, who is averaging 10 points per game, has been a bright spot in an otherwise down year for the hard-luck Balers, who have lost their three best players to injuries this season.
Not surprisingly, San Benito, which advanced to the Central Coast Section Division I championship game last year, was 3-17 overall and 1-7 in Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division play entering Thursday’s game against Christopher.
Heen has been consistently solid, making a name for herself by always hustling, boxing out and playing tenacious defense. Heen’s combination of athleticism and grit has served her well on the hardwood.
“I knew Callee would be one of our top players this year because of her athletic ability,” Balers coach Mitch Burley said. “She’s very skilled and really excels on defense. She can be a nuisance to other teams because of her ability to block and tip shots around the lane.”
Although Heen has produced several double-digit scoring games, she takes more pride in playing tough, fundamentally sound basketball.
“I feel like I’m playing my best when I’m boxing out and preventing the other team from getting rebounds,” she said. “It takes a lot of effort to always be willing to put all of your might into blocking someone out whenever a shot goes up.”
Heen measures a large part of her success by her effort level, knowing no matter what happens during a game, she’s done everything she possibly could to put herself and her team in a position to succeed.
“I know I have to consistently push myself to be at my best,” Heen said. “I don’t think you can ever work hard enough.”
It’s that type of attitude that gets Burley excited when he thinks about having Heen on the team for the next two years.
“You know Callee is only going to get better,” Burley said. “What I really like about her game is she doesn’t back down from anyone or any situation. On the court, she knows where the ball is going to be, and she has a knack for offensive rebounding and scoring on putbacks.”
Even though it was pretty much a foregone conclusion Heen would be a vital contributor to the Balers this season, she didn’t expect to be one of the team’s top players, let alone a starter.
Burley, however, saw Heen’s potential from the moment she was called up to the varsity squad prior to last year’s playoff run.
“I had a positive impression of Callee last year,” Burley said. “We know her future is in softball, but she’s pretty good in basketball, too.”
