Heide Big Component to Cal Hoops' Stellar 2020 Class

Part of Cal's 2020 recruiting class quartet of 6'3+ players, Mt. Si (North Bend, WA) post Sela Heide is the tallest of them all, checking in at 6'7. Overall, the Bears signed four signed 2020 commits in the early signing period and two more yesterday, including Heide and Swedish guard Alma Elsnitz.

All four of the post/forward signees are rated in ESPN Hoopgurlz Top 100 recruits, with Heide checking in at #89 and the #10 post player in the nation.

Heide comes from a tall and athletic family, with both father Jason (6’10) and mother Sissel (6’4) having played basketball at Oregon State.

Heide got on the radar later than the Bears’ other bigs, with Cal getting involved this school year, though one of the staff members got a jump her her recruitment before arriving in Berkeley.

“I’d been talking with Cal for a few months before I committed,” said Heide. “I talked with Coach April (Phillips) a lot. She’d actually recruited me during my freshman and sophomore year and I was terrified at that point to talk to coaches but my AAU coach told me I really needed to take the phone call. I tried to avoid talking tp them any way I could. But Coach April was the first coach I ever talked to and she’s been awesome.”

Heide’s recruiting path was different than most, particularly with missing time due to injury.

“I had an injury back in June so I didn’t get to play my regular AAU season and that made my recruiting process a little different. I had seven knee cap dislocations,” said Heide. “They finally just said you can’t play without getting surgery. The surgery was a success and I’ve been doing well. The doctors expect me to be 100% in the future after going through the healing process and I’ve been cleared and was able to play again at the end of the season.”

Heide was able to make it back on the court January 13 and made an immediate impact, adding 12 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes in Mt. SI’s win. She averaged a double-double with 16.8 points and 11.4 points per game and produced an average of 2.6 blocks on the abbreviated season. As a junior, she averaged 12.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks on the season, helping lead her team to regionals.

Heide visited Cal in February and saw all that she needed in the program.

“I really liked the whole staff and their mission and went down there for a visit and committed to them that Saturday night and flew home on Sunday,” said Heide

“I was able to spend time with the team on my visit down and it was great. You’re there and you’re with everyone and it feels like family. That was a big factor for me and they checked off that box for me, for sure.”

Heide played AAU ball with fellow 2020 signee Delayah Daniels on the Tree of Hope squad and will be reunited with her this summer.

“We played together a few months last spring in March, April and May,” noted Heide. “Laylay’s awesome. She’s an awesome teammate and a phenominal basketball player, as Cal fans know. They actually asked her about me when they were scouting her. I’m really excited to be able to play with her.”

Both were coached by AAU coach Mo Hines with Tree of Hope.

“Sela was a pleasure to coach,” said Hines. “She’s a hard worker and is very committed to being an impact player at Cal.”

"Sela brings great size to our roster and has an exceptional touch around the basket," noted Cal head coach Charmin Smith. "Her length will help to alter shots on the defensive end as she anchors the paint."

Now that it’s official, with the National Letter of Intent signed yesterday, Heide’s looking forward to embarking on the next phase of life when travel restrictions are lifted and she can enroll at Cal, hopefully sometime this summer.

“I’m so excited to finally offically be a Bear,” said Heide. “I’m most looking forward to continuing to build relationships with my team and coaches as well as coming down this summer.”

Other stories:

Elsnitz, Heide Join Cal's Highest-Ranked Class Since 2009

Bears Beat Out Tough Pac-12 Comp For Higgins