You’re observing 6-4, fair-haired, identical twins, basketball athletes at Palos Verdes High School and bound for the University of Virginia.
Bird watchers say it’s not difficult to distinguish the twins on the basketball court – even without glancing at their numbers.
There are variations in style. Heather enjoys the loud and rough movements beneath the boards while Heidi prefers elegance.
The sisters admit that they resemble each other, even in childhood photos. However, things take a different turn once you take them away from the sports arena.
“I was freaked out. I thought I was looking in the rearview mirror when I looked in the rearview mirror and,” said Heather, “Heidi was in the backseat and I was driving on the first day.”
Heidi exclaimed, “That was the sole occasion when we have ever become confused.”
You can tell that Heidi is more extroverted – their personalities set the twins apart, you can say friends. While Heidi wears her hair longer, her sister Bob has shorter hair. Heidi’s face is a little rounder, more oblong than Heather’s. It’s not a problem to say that they are different, friends.
Heather doesn’t think it’s easier to make friends with sisters who try to wear identical clothes like the twins in Doublemint Gum commercials.
Apart from her basketball attire.
Heidi, who plays primarily on the perimeter, is averaging 14.3 rebounds, which is 2.1 more than her sister. In contrast, Heather has an average of 20.6 points per game, whereas Heidi’s average is 22.7.
The sisters, Heidi and Heather, have become an unstoppable pair at Palos Verdes, logging 1,183 and 1,345 points respectively. They have shattered the school’s all-time scoring record (previously held by Hilary Recknor with 1,023 points) and both went on to have successful basketball careers in Europe and at Washington College, where they played for four years.
The siblings are also nearing Recknor’s school record for rebounds (907). Heather has collected 889 career rebounds and Heidi 850.
Still maintaining an unbeaten record in 12 Bay League matches, Coach Wendell Yoshida, in his ninth year, reaps the most rewards from these statistics. Looking at the past year, the Sea Kings have achieved a remarkable 31 consecutive wins in the league, which includes dominant triumphs against Santa Monica, with a staggering score of 89-6 (yes, just 6), and Torrance, with a commanding 79-20 victory.
Yoshida expressed, “In the upcoming year, I will long for the presence of Heather and Heidi, the individuals. I will yearn for the 30 rebounds and the 50 points they collectively score. However, basketball is of secondary importance. It will always be present. What I truly will long for is their companionship. I have witnessed them share laughter, tears, exertion, and dedication.”
Virginia Coach Debbie Ryan will embrace that delightful responsibility. The Cavaliers signed letters of commitment with the Burge sisters during the November signing period, opting for Virginia instead of Vanderbilt, Duke, and Washington.
Despite losing all of last year’s starters to graduation, the 15th ranked Cavaliers clinched a victory over Rutgers, securing a spot in the Eastern NCAA Regional finals with Ryan leading the team.
In the upcoming year, the Burges will join a roster that includes two exceptional rookie guards from the East Coast, Dawn Staley and Tammie Reiss. Staley, a 5-5 guard, was recognized as the national Player of the Year by USA Today after an outstanding high school career in Philadelphia. Reiss, a 5-8 shooting guard hailing from Eldred, N.Y., Is the top scorer for the Cavs.
In the international leagues, pursued by professional baseball, the siblings are striving for the 1992 Barcelona Games. The Burges, who also possess identical 3.8 grade-point averages, aspire for Olympic competition.
Defeated by a narrow margin of 52-49, the Sea Kings faced the fast-paced Sacramento Grant team in the state final. However, the Palos Verdes team, which had a remarkable record of 27-8 last season and clinched the CIF 3-A championship along with the Southern California regional title, relied heavily on the contributions of Heidi and Heather. Currently, their main goal is to win this year’s state championship.
Grant’s players outperformed the Burge sisters in rebounding.
Yoshida stated, “They sent the boards to everyone.” “They then sprayed it all over the court and pushed the ball up.” “We weren’t getting back in time. Our defense wasn’t against their offense, it wasn’t a case of us slugging them.”
Palos Verdes has won three games this season, with Heidi scoring 39, 43, and 29 points in those matches against Torrance, Inglewood, and Leuzinger, respectively, while Heather was unable to play due to pneumonia.
However, the scoring is evenly spread out. “We are not a team limited to two dimensions,” Yoshida expressed.
The Sea Kings have a deluxe shooting range that caters to both sophomore and junior guards, including Iverson Kaaren. They also have Lisa Humphreys and Susan Willhite, who play as point guards and provide a young presence in the backcourt.
“If you removed the twins’ scores individually, I believe we would still emerge victorious in the majority of our matches,” Yoshida stated.
“Yoshida expressed admiration for their ability to run, dribble, and pass. He also noted their impressive height and coordination. However, he is not yet willing to part with the sisters.”
It hasn’t always been like that. When they arrived at Palos Verdes four years ago, the Burges were inexperienced in basketball.
“I didn’t just make it tall because attention is the icing on the cake. They worked through the sweat, tears, and pain to make it special. I don’t think they’ve had a weekend off in three years, but they practiced when they didn’t want to. You didn’t see them when they were freshmen.” Yoshida said.
The Christ the King Tournament traveled to New York for Palos Verdes in December when the segment was filmed. ESPN broadcasted a brief clip on the Burges as a component of its nationwide Scholastic Sports America Magazine, mentioning two recent TV specials showcasing the twins. Yoshida was present.
“Twins” – with Heather impersonating Arnold Schwarzenegger and Heidi crouching down as Danny DeVito – the segment depicts the siblings participating in individual interviews and subsequently engaging in comedic antics to spoof the most recent film. Prime Ticket later recorded a more extensive segment on the twins for its CIF High School Sports special.
The sense of humor of the twins, known well around High Verdes Palos, has caught them a few times while posing as each other during class switches.
The young ladies were conscious that their height would grow as they approached the age of 3, when a doctor assessed their possible height.
In Torrance, the father, Larry, who has a legal profession, is admired by them. The mother, Mary Burge, who is six feet tall, teaches English as a second language in Lawndale and is overshadowed by them.
“I believe he’s getting smaller, though,” Heather stated.
Heidi mentioned, “That’s a drawback of being tall.” “When it comes to our stature, there aren’t many gentlemen. In the realm of sports, there are numerous benefits. However, in terms of social life, I would prefer to be slightly shorter.”
The sisters should take courage. There may be a set of 6-6 identical twin brothers emerging out there somewhere.
“That would be fantastic,” Heather exclaimed.