skip navigation

Googie Seidman making an impact at Haverford High

12/15/2021, 1:00am EST
By Jerome Taylor

Jerome Taylor (@ThatGuy_Rome)
––

It’s been two seasons since John Seidman led Haverford High School to a Central League Championship. Now another Seidman, one with an unforgettable name, has the chance to be a significant part of the Fords’ journey back to the top of the Central League.

And as the Fords try to bounce from an 8-5 COVID-shortened season, Alex Seidman, better known as ‘Googie’ – a nickname given to him by his older brother – will play a significant role in any success the Fords have this year. 

Googie Seidman dribbles a basketball

Alex 'Googie' Seidman (above, last season) is preparing to use lessons learned from his older brother to help lead the Fords. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

“[John] couldn’t pronounce Alex, and his first words were ‘Googie,’ and he pointed at me, and it just stuck,” the younger Seidman said.

The Seidmans started playing basketball at a very young age, at the Ardmore Avenue Community Center, better known as “The Shack” – a place made famous because the late Kobe Bryant played there during his time in the Lower Merion area. 

The competitive basketball at “The Shack” contributed to the younger Seidman’s current playstyle, especially defensively.

“I learned a lot there. It’s a good start for basketball,” Seidman said. “Playing there, you get really tough, and that’s how I like to play.” 

And even though ‘Googie’ started as a family nickname, there are not many people who have been introduced to him that call him anything else. 

“I’ve known them for a long time,” 10th-year head coach Keith Heinerichs said. “I’ve actually known him since he was real little, so that’s always been his name and I never even thought anything of it… so I’ve always called him that.”

Heinerichs met Seidman when he was in elementary school, still figuring out what he liked about the game in the Ardmore-Havertown area, which, according to Heinerichs and Seidman, shouldn’t be confused with Lower Merion-Ardmore.

“Not Lower Merion territory. Stay away from there,” Seidman joked.  

The Seidmans moved to Havertown a few years back, and Googie has been a contributor on varsity since he was a 5-foot-5 freshman stand-still shooter. 

Now the 6-foot guard has a more advanced game, more responsibility and some intangibles that his older brother gave him. The junior is using them in his first experience playing without his brother.

“[John]’s a really good leader, but I feel like he gave me so many tools to lead this team,” Googie said. “[He taught me] leadership, good attitude, next play [mentality], he always gave me a good scouting report, he always got on me for not being in the right spot, so I tip my hat to him.” 

“He’s got bigger shoulders now. He can get up a little bit higher,” Heinerichs said about the younger Seidman’s physical growth. “He’s definitely grown into his body.” 

When John (Franklin & Marshall) was at Haverford High, the Fords were a more halfcourt-centric team to fit his pace of play. But this year’s team is more transition-oriented, and that starts on defense, where the younger Seidman shines. 

In the Fords’ (1-1, 1-0 Central League) full-court defense, Seidman will spend most of his time patrolling the middle of the court, anticipating and oftentimes disrupting cross-court passes to get the Fords into some early offense. 

“What helps him is Colin [Reynolds] and Brian Weiner put so much ball pressure on the dribbler, and that helps him because he’s able to leak and get some steals and gamble because they’re putting so much pressure on the ball,” Heinerichs said.

And so far, Seidman’s play has gotten him on the radar of several Division III colleges, including multiple colleges within the Centennial Conference, where his brother is currently averaging 12.8 ppg as a freshman.

In Tuesday’s game against Conestoga (1-2, 0-1 Central League), the younger Seidman had 12 points. And the impact of the Fords’ full-court pressure was evident in their 57-30 conference victory where senior Nick Colucci (18 points) and Weiner led the way (15 points).

“We believe we can press teams. We have a lot of speed,” Heinerichs said. “They don’t look like it when they walk in the gym with our size, but we definitely have speed, and we want to try and use that to our advantage.” 

“We just had to be dogs because we have no one bigger than 6-3, so we really had to press, get up in their face all game. It really helps us win,” Seidman said.

And while Seidman is fighting to make a name for himself with his play on the court, Heinrichs is still fighting for announcers to call him the right one in introductions. 

“I say, ‘It’s Googie Seidman’ when I do the announcements, and they go, ‘Well, I’m not saying that.’ Then I go, ‘Well, you can say whatever you want, but that’s his name,’” Heinrichs said. 

Now Seidman is going to have to do his part in getting back to the top of the Central League.

“Every night we have to compete for it,” Heinrichs said, “There’s no night off in our league.” 


D-I Coverage:

HS Coverage:

Small-College News:

Tag(s): Home  Jerome Taylor  Central League (B)  Conestoga  Haverford High  High School