Russ Whiteside was impressed by Steele Altmyer before ever getting to coach him.
Five years ago, when Altmyer was a seventh grader on the basketball team at Heritage Academy, the Patriots played Pillow Academy — coached by Whiteside.
Right away, Altmyer’s ball skills and shooting ability stood out to Whiteside, who took a coaching position with Heritage Academy in 2016. For the past four years, Whiteside has watched Altmyer practice, play and devote himself to getting better.
On Tuesday, as Altmyer signed his letter of intent to play basketball at Mississippi College in Clinton, his coach was alongside him, watching the senior’s efforts finally pay dividends.
“It’s a privilege to be here today with Steele and all of his family,” Whiteside said. “There’s not a kid that I have ever coached that has probably spent as much time with a basketball in his hand as Steele. Today is one of those days where the hard work pays off and really means something.”
Altmyer’s sixth season with fellow standout seniors Reid Huskison, Carter Putt and Eli Acker came to an end in the semifinals of the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools overall tournament on Feb. 28. A year before, the Patriots won the overall tournament, part of a string of recent sports successes for the school that include 2019 titles in football and baseball.
“Steele’s been an excellent part of an excellent senior class that, three years ago, really set the tone for Heritage boys athletics,” athletic director Sean Harrison said. “We’re just so excited for him to get to continue to play at the next level.”
Altmyer’s signing, held Tuesday afternoon in the Heritage Academy library, was no typical operation. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the school permitted just 10 people into the library — including Altmyer, his brothers Luke and Whit; and his parents, Chad and Betsy.
“It’s been crazy, but I’m just glad I get to sign with them,” Altmyer said. “I can’t be thankful enough. I’m just glad I get to go to a great place like Mississippi College.”
He’ll be playing for the school both his parents attended, too. Chad, who played baseball and basketball in Clinton, graduated in 1994; he is a member of the Choctaws’ athletics hall of fame. Betsy was a cheerleader at the NCAA Division II school.
Both parents offered glowing reviews, Altmyer said. When he visited campus, he was hooked.
“They just brought me in,” he said. “They just treated me like family.”
The Patriots senior battled back from two major leg injuries in his final two seasons to earn a college scholarship. After scoring 28 points in the first game of his junior year, he broke his leg in Game 2.
Getting back in shape wasn’t easy, but Altmyer managed to do it, fighting to take the court with the Patriots near the end of the season despite being nowhere near full speed.
“I just knew that all the hard work would pay off eventually and I’d get back to where I was before the injury,” he said.
Altmyer did, and he was rewarded for it with another injury — a sprained ankle just before winter break of his senior season. Despite the pain, he missed just a couple games before returning to action, which impressed his coach.
“It’s one of the worst-looking sprains I’ve ever seen, and he comes back and plays five games with an ankle that looks like nobody else would even try to play on,” Whiteside said. “I felt for him, but I also knew that he would come back and be good for us.”
Now, nearly two months into the offseason, Altmyer is healthy. Whiteside said feels confident that Altmyer will mature when he heads off to Clinton — just as he did between the very first time Whiteside saw him play and the end of his high school career.
“He’s only gonna get better,” Whiteside said. “He’s gonna continue to get better. He’s got tremendous upside, and I think he’s gonna be great for Mississippi College.”
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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