Belmont recruit Brooke Highmark鈥檚 basketball career living up to family name
ST. LOUIS (BVM) 鈥� Being the daughter of legendary Saint Louis University player Scott Highmark, Brooke Highmark has had a lot to live up to during her basketball career. Now concluding her time at Westminster Christian Academy and soon beginning her college tenure at Belmont, Brooke is adding to the family legacy each time she takes the court.
It鈥檚 not surprising that Brooke grew up learning the game from her father. A St. Louis native, Scott had a phenomenal high school basketball career where he led Parkway West to a state title in 1991. Going on to play at Saint Louis University, Scott led the Billikens to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years in 1994.
After another tournament appearance as a senior, Scott finished his career fifth all-time in scoring at Saint Louis. The St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame member had a brief professional career overseas, and now works in wealth management as president of Mosaic Family Wealth.
It鈥檚 quite the resume, one that Brooke has felt pressure before to live up to, but one that has also allowed her to enjoy having a dad who is a local legend.
鈥淚 would definitely say that it is a blessing and a curse,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been awesome to grow up around where he played in St. Louis. You go everywhere and somebody knows him or has watched him play. There鈥檚 definitely a lot of blessings. But I would say the curse is there was a lot of pressure. Honestly, for me, it was a bigger motivator.鈥�
Brooke has had no issues living up to her dad鈥檚 legacy thus far. Despite trying out volleyball and soccer when she was little, Brooke drew an instant love to basketball, in part because of its physicality and fast pace.
Scott was always known as a pure shooter, and Brooke is no different. However, it is Brooke鈥檚 competitiveness, work ethic and love of defense 鈥� some of the qualities of one of her biggest idols in Skylar Diggins-Smith 鈥� that have continued to set her apart from the competition.聽
Growing up, Scott coached Brooke up until middle school. While their relationship has undoubtedly grown closer through the sport, Brooke notes that there was a point where they had to choose between the father/daughter and player/coach relationships.聽
鈥淎t first, I just kind of liked the bond that it created between me and him,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淏asketball was always a common thing for us. As much as it did draw us closer together, at some point, he had to decide whether he wanted to be my coach or my dad.鈥�
Scott may have stopped coaching Brooke, but he, along with the rest of the Highmark family, have continued to be there supporting her every step of the way.
鈥淢y family could not have been more supportive with my basketball career,鈥� Brooke added. 鈥淛ust the time and the sacrifice and the money that it takes for any club sport, especially basketball 鈥� That鈥檚 just a sacrifice they were all willing to make for me. I couldn鈥檛 really ask for a more supportive family.鈥�
Brooke continued to play locally prior to high school, but her career really took off when she began playing for Knights Basketball Academy.
鈥淭hat was really when it started getting serious,鈥� Brooke noted. 鈥淭hat program really formed the foundations of my basketball game.鈥�
The point guard鈥檚 AAU career did not stop there, as she went on to play a summer for Bradley Beal Elite. However, after that season didn鈥檛 go as planned, Brooke became frustrated with the sport, and wasn鈥檛 sure she wanted to continue playing.
鈥淚 was like I don鈥檛 want to do this anymore because I was so frustrated,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淚鈥檇 been doing this all summer and I wasn鈥檛 seeing any results.鈥�
After a month off, Brooke realized how much she missed basketball and returned to the hardwood. She then began playing for Blue Star St. Louis, reinvigorating her love for the game.
鈥淚t was probably the best decision that I鈥檝e ever made,鈥� Brooke added. 鈥淚 had the best summer basketball wise of my life 鈥� I just totally picked my love up for the game again.鈥�
While playing with Blue Star St. Louis produced a great summer prior to her junior year, last summer was not one that anyone had hoped for. Playing in a tournament game in late July, Brooke was already a bit worn down with the amount of games being played and a limited roster.
As she came off a ball screen and pivoted as she usually would, Brooke twisted her knee and fell to the floor. She was able to jog the injury off, and trainers believed her knee was structurally sound after checking it out multiple times.聽
Brooke tried warming up for the team鈥檚 next game, but was physically unable to go. When she returned home, she went in for an MRI. Once the results came back, it revealed the worst: a torn ACL and meniscus.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 surprising that something happened, I just didn鈥檛 think it鈥檇 be that bad,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淚 was so shocked.鈥�
A devastating injury that wouldn鈥檛 be wished upon anyone, Brooke underwent surgery by the end of July. As a result of the timing, she also knew she would miss her senior season at Westminster, and the chance to put a bow on what had been a fabulous high school career.
Despite some nerves, Brooke made the varsity squad at Westminster as a freshman. After an injury to the team鈥檚 starting point guard, Brooke became a full-time starter for the Wildcats, also becoming a true team leader while growing more and more confident.
Into her sophomore season, the 5-foot-8 guard continued to develop, averaging over 10 points per game. However, it was her junior season that was her breakout, as Brooke averaged 18.5 points, four steals and three assists per game, helping Westminster to a 23-5 record and finally breaking through to the state quarterfinals.
She was named first team all-conference, all-district and all-state, as well as conference player of the year. Brooke also reached the coveted 1,000-point scoring mark as a junior.
鈥淢y sophomore and junior years were very successful years at Westminster, and that kind of all started with the confidence I gained my freshman year,鈥� the 17-year-old explained. 鈥淚 just really focused on trying to bond with my teammates and make the most out of the season. At the time, I didn鈥檛 know it was going to be my last season, but I was happy with the progress that we made and the run that we made in the postseason.鈥澛�
Although she won鈥檛 suit up this season, Brooke has stayed plenty involved with the team, attending most games and practices, and helping coach her teammates along the way. Of course she鈥檇 rather be out on the court playing, but with how well her junior season went, she has taken solace in her high school career being done.
鈥淚 actually am very fortunate that I had a really good sophomore and junior year,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淕oing into my senior year, there was nothing that I was dying to achieve or that felt incomplete. I honestly had a more positive outlook on the season than most people and than I thought I would. It really hasn鈥檛 been as devastating or as frustrating as I thought it would be.鈥�
At the same time, being on the bench and seeing the game from a different perspective has helped her learn even more for the future.
鈥淛ust seeing the floor and coaching helps you understand the game in a much different way than when you鈥檙e on the court,鈥� Brooke added. 鈥淲hen I come back, I鈥檓 going to be a smarter player. I鈥檓 going to be smarter than I ever have been. I鈥檓 thankful for that.鈥�
While it has seemed slow and been frustrating at times, Brooke鈥檚 recovery process continues to go well. By June, she plans to be going full-speed on the court once again as she enters the next chapter of her basketball career.
Her story will continue at Belmont, who she committed to early in her junior season. She of course had interest in her dad鈥檚 alma mater of Saint Louis, as well as schools such Wichita State, Tulsa and Lipscomb. However, Belmont stood apart from the start.
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— Brooke Highmark (@brooke_highmark)
鈥淚 think it was always pretty obvious pretty soon after they started calling me that Belmont was the place I wanted to go, because honestly, they just checked every box,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淭here was just nothing wrong with Belmont and I was like I don鈥檛 see why I shouldn鈥檛 go here, honestly.鈥�
Brooke will study sports journalism at Belmont, but also hopes to stay involved with basketball the rest of her life, perhaps in coaching, similar to how her dad has. She may be following in Scott鈥檚 footsteps, but Brooke continues to make her own name for herself, and is poised to do so again once she makes her long-awaited return to the court.
鈥淚 wish it was tomorrow that I鈥檇 be able to go down there and practice with them,鈥� Brooke said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 been my dream since I was a little girl, to play basketball in college.鈥�
