Oklahoma high school notebook: Longtime basketball coach Tom Heidebrecht dies at 80

Former basketball coach Tom Heidebrecht dies at 80

Tom Heidebrecht loved winters in Oklahoma.

“Like a bear hibernates in the winter, well, Dad basically hibernated through the summer,” said Jason Heidebrecht, the former basketball coach’s son. “And this time of year, this cold spell that we’ve had, that would energize Dad, and he would be excited about an upcoming season.”

Now, as his favorite season approaches, loved ones are honoring his memory. Tom Heidebrecht died Friday at 80, leaving a legacy through his leadership of small-town teams across the state. He is the only coach in Oklahoma prep basketball history to lead a school’s boys and girls programs to state titles on the same day, guiding both Fort Towson teams to championships in 1972.

As Jason reflected on his father’s life, he remembered Tom’s prominent role in the high school hoops community.

It wasn’t only because he preferred cool weather over summer heat.

Year after year, Tom was ready for basketball.

More:The Oklahoman’s top 10 high school football games of Week 9

Coaches crowded into rooms to listen to the elder Heidebrecht speak at clinics. Every March, if he wasn’t coaching in the state tournament, they could see him in the southeast corner of State Fair Arena, enjoying full days of games and catching up with friends. And in the mid-1990s, when girls basketball transitioned from 6-on-6 to 5-on-5, coaches were constantly calling him for advice.

Tom didn’t mind. In fact, he enjoyed it.

“He was flattered at that,” said Jason, the assistant principal at Cache High School. “He wore it as kind of an honor. That made him feel good that he was that highly revered.”

Tom, a graduate of Dill City High School, had a storied coaching career after attending Oklahoma City University and the University of Central Oklahoma. Along with his historic championships at Fort Towson, he captured state titles at Hydro and Washita Heights. In 1996 and 2000, while at Washita Heights, he was named The Oklahoman’s Super 5 girls basketball coach of the year.

After his retirement, Tom couldn’t part ways with the sport. When Jason coached the Cache girls basketball team from fall 2015-17, he knew he had to bring his dad on staff. In 2016, the father and son guided the Bulldogs to the state tournament.

“He was just ecstatic,” Jason said. “He was as giddy as a little kid.”

Tom also cherished opportunities to watch his grandchildren play basketball. The family hoops legacy includes Jason’s oldest daughter, Chelsea, who played at Harding University and Cameron University, as well as younger daughter Kloe, a current Cameron player.

However Tom could stay connected to his favorite sport, he did.

“As long as he could drive and get in a car and go watch practice, he would go watch even after I became a principal,” Jason said.

Tom Heidebrecht’s memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Cache Schools Auditorium. A live stream is available at www.beckerfuneral.com and on the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Facebook page. The family has requested donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in place of flowers.

Oklahoma high school softball: COAC announces 2022 All-Conference teams

OVCA announces All-Tournament state volleyball teams

The Oklahoma Volleyball Coaches Association has released the list of All-Tournament state volleyball teams for Class 6A-3A.

Each team features an MVP from the title-winning program in that class. The Class 6A MVP is Kathrin Rowe of Edmond Memorial, while Liv Ward of Mount St. Mary received the 5A honor. Paiton Tuggle of Lincoln Christian was tabbed as the 4A MVP, and the 3A award went to Kate Hook of Holland Hall.

Here is a breakdown of the All-Tournament teams:

Class 6A

MVP: Kathrin Rowe, Edmond Memorial

Lexi Hensley, Edmond Memorial; Brynn Roberts, Jenks; Maren Johnson, Jenks; Katie Kolar, Norman North; Emma Gatewood, Edmond North; Jenna Houk, Deer Creek; Curry Kendall, Bishop Kelley; Olivia Vance, Bixby; Lauren Harms, Broken Arrow

Class 5A

MVP: Liv Ward, Mount St. Mary

Ally Fees, Mount St. Mary; Grace Smallwood, Bishop McGuinness; Charlotte Nelson, Bishop McGuinness; Bailey Lowder, Lawton MacArthur; Emily Boyer, Carl Albert; Stailee Heard, Sapulpa; Tyra McKinney, Glenpool; Kaylie Marshall, Piedmont; Lexie Schauffler, Coweta

Class 4A

MVP: Paiton Tuggle, Lincoln Christian

Bella Rollandini, Lincoln Christian; Landry Braziel, Community Christian; Victoria Gray, Community Christian; Ella Drake, Regent Prep; Ava Wilson, Oklahoma Christian School; Ramsey Wagner, Tulsa Cascia Hall; Morgan Borgstadt, Verdigris; Taylor Mates, Victory Christian

Class 3A

MVP: Kate Hook, Holland Hall

Macy Collier, Holland Hall; Izzy Wilson, Owasso Rejoice Christian; Maddy James, Owasso Rejoice Christian; Emily Sloat, Summit Christian; Aubree Jeffries, Crossings Christian; Chloe Nelson, Corn Bible; Olivia Bradford, Amber-Pocasset

More:The Oklahoman's Class 6A to C high school football rankings for Week 9

Bartlesville basketball star David Castillo takes official visit to OSU

Bartlesville star basketball player David Castillo announced Sunday on Twitter he took an official visit to Oklahoma State.

Castillo is the nation’s top-ranked point guard in the 2024 class and a five-star recruit, according to ESPN.

Oklahoma State is the first school Castillo has been to on an official visit. The Cowboys were the second school to offer him a scholarship.

Castillo’s first offer was from Tulsa in March 2021, and his recruitment has blown up since. Florida, Kansas, OU, Texas and Texas Tech are among the long list of schools that have offered the 6-foot-1, 165-pounder.

Castillo regularly competes for USA Basketball and helped the Americans win the 2021 FIBA U16 Americas Championship and 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup.

He was selected to The Oklahoman’s Super 5 All-State third team this past season after averaging 24.7 points per game. He averaged 23.4 points as a freshman and was on the Class 6A honorable mention list.

Newcastle sophomore shooting guard Carlsheon Young also visited Oklahoma State over the weekend.

He’s a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports. The Cowboys offered him in May, becoming the first school to do so. The 6-4 Young then received offers from Arizona State, TCU and Kansas.

More:Oklahoma high school football: Four downs on Week 8's best upsets, rivalries and more

Extra points

➤ Carl Albert alumnus J.T. Realmuto has reached the World Series. The catcher plays for the Philadelphia Phillies, who will face the Houston Astros for the MLB Commissioner’s Trophy. Realmuto, who also played football and basketball for the Titans, held a national high school record of 88 single-season hits until Jackson Holliday of Stillwater surpassed it last spring.

➤ Tulsa Booker T. Washington point guard Marcayla Johnson announced her commitment to Baylor women’s basketball on Monday morning. The standout sophomore is No. 21 in ESPN HoopGurlz’s national rankings of class of 2025 recruits.

➤ Moore receiver/cornerback CJ Simon picked up an offer from Oklahoma State football during the past weekend. It’s his second Power Five offer. The sophomore has also received one from Texas Tech.

—Hallie Hart and Nick Sardis, Staff writers

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Longtime Oklahoma HS basketball coach Tom Heidebrecht dies at 80