Hiedeman led Southwest's amazing run

Natisha Hiedeman has a knack for coming through in the clutch for her team.

That was never more true than during a WIAA Division 2 regional final game at Pulaski on Feb. 28.

Trailing by two points in overtime, Hiedeman banked in a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer from just inside half court to give the Green Bay Southwest girls basketball team the improbable overtime victory.

It was the signature moment in the 5-foot-8 senior guard's stellar high school career.

It almost didn't happen.

Hours before the game, Hiedeman was a passenger in a car involved in an accident.

Hiedeman was shaken by the event and had traces of blood on her basketball warmups.

But the Marquette University recruit remained determined to be there for her team later that day.

"It is absolutely amazing what she did against Pulaski," Southwest girls basketball coach Casey Zakowski said. "She wasn't 100 percent against (Green Bay) Notre Dame, Cedarburg or Pulaski (in the playoffs). It was amazing what she did."

Hiedeman helped the Trojans return to their winning ways after the program had endured nine straight losing seasons prior to her sophomore year.

The Fox River Classic Conference player of the year broke the Green Bay metro all-time scoring record this season and led Southwest to the sectional finals for the first time since 2000.

For her efforts, Hiedeman is Press-Gazette Media's girls basketball player of the year.

"It was an amazing run," said Hiedeman, who scored 1,773 career points. "I had so much fun with my team, my coaches — on and off the court. It's definitely something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life."

Hiedeman averaged 25.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game this season.

She was an unanimous first-team all-state choice for Division 2 by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and earned first-team all-state accolades from the Associated Press.

One of the greatest honors bestowed upon Hiedeman this year, however, came in a letter addressed to Southwest athletic director Brian Matz from an individual from Cedarburg, which defeated the Trojans 56-52 in overtime in a sectional final game.

"We wanted you to know that we consider your player, Natisha Hiedeman, to be one of the classiest and most talented players we have come across," the individual from Cedarburg said in the letter.

"Her poise, politeness, etiquette on and off the court are something to be applauded. Our parents greeted her and spoke with her after your game against Cedarburg, and through her tears she was polite, respectful, and courteous in every way. We watched interviews in which she was humble and complimentary to our team and wished us all the best. For a high school student to be so talented, poised, and respectful on so many levels is uncommon."

Zakowski said it has been a pleasure to coach an "uncommon" talent like Hiedeman.

"She's so fun to be around," Zakowski said. "Everybody likes (her). I'm so impressed with how she's remained humble and handled all the success. She's had a lot of pressure on her. People knew they had to stop her, and we still made a pretty nice tournament run."