Jul 14, 2007 - 04:04:43 CDT
Eli Whitney revolutionized the cotton industry with the invention of the cotton gin.Benjamin Franklin claimed his fame by inventing the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, the iron furnace stove and the odometer.
Luke Heck of Jamestown didn't discover the sport of basketball but, as means of survival, he invented a unique style of play.
Heck's name won't end up in the history books with famous inventors like Whitney, Franklin, Albert Einstein or Thomas Edison. But, those who watched Class A boys basketball will recognize Heck's distinctive style.
At a generous 6-foot-3, Heck found himself undersized in a big way in the blocks by about 4 inches or more each night.
"He's an unconventional post player,"Jamestown coach Darin Peterson said. "He has always been undersized through his whole basketball career. He was able to find some moves that worked for him."
Heck's play earned him a big honor. He was selected by the state's coaches to play on the Class A boys squad of the Lions All-Star basketball series. Only selected graduated seniors are eligible to play.
"It's a great honor to have the chance to play with the best in the state,"said Heck, who will play for Jamestown College this winter. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm looking forward to playing with (Bismarck's)Jordan Wilhelm. We've been friends through the years."
Heck looks more like an offensive lineman or a heavyweight wrestler. Even though he's unorthodox, he still managed to average 18 points and 9 rebounds per game this past season.
He scored by developing his own moves. Heck perfected a sweet hook shot and an up-and-under move to get to the hoop. He also used a series of pump fakes to fool his opponents.
"I really had to change,"Heck said. "I'm not like a lot of other posts. I had to get the ability to score against 6-6, 6-7 posts. I had to make sure I got people in the air so I could get my shot off."
Heck's signature move turned out to be his hook shot. He spent countless hours in the gym with his dad practicing the move, eating leather a few times along the way.
"It takes a lot of time to be successful with what you've got,"Heck said. "It didn't happen overnight."
Heck's production never ceased to amazed his coach. Peterson pointed out that Heck didn't pile up his stats against the patsies of the West Region. He drew the other team's best defender.
"We had one guy to stop per game, and he was the guy," Peterson said. "Nobody could figure out how to stop him. He got a lot of respect from the coaches."
Footwork helped Heck be effective in the paint.
"He was deceptively quick,"Peterson said. "He's not a fast kid, but he's got good footwork and a lot of good ball fakes. He was the slipperiest post player you could play against. I've had kids here ask about his moves. I can't figure out how to teach his post moves."
His bulky build worked in his favor.
"I was one of the larger posts, weight-wise,"Heck said. "I was able to get position when I wanted to."
Heck improved his game this past summer when he played on an ECItraveling team. He played in tournaments throughout the Midwest and in Las Vegas. He matched up with bigger opponents each day, which helped prepare him for his senior season.
"Every player was an (NCAA) Division II player or an NAIA player," Heck said. "There was no scrubs. It helped me finish my shot against the taller players."
Heck was forced to invent his own game to be competitive. Now, he's headed to the Lions All-Star game.
"I saw a couple of Jamestown kids make it,"Heck said. "I said that's something I would like to be part of. I set my goals. I wanted to be all-conference and I wanted to make the Lions All-Star game. Luckily, it paid off. I'm excited for it."
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