‘Winning is a culture here’: Whitworth’s Jake Holtz looks to keep perfect streak in NWC Tournament

Bruiser. Enforcer. The heart and soul of the team.

Those are just a couple of ways that teammates and coaches described Jake Holtz, a graduate forward and leading scorer of the Whitworth Pirates men’s basketball team.

But perhaps the most important label to him? A champion.

Since Holtz first stepped foot on campus, outside of a cancelled postseason in 2021 when Whitworth looked poised to take the title, all he has known is taking home Northwest Conference championships — three in three seasons, to be exact.

“Winning is a culture here,” Holtz said of Whitworth’s basketball program. “It’s almost just expected that we’ll get to the conference tournament weekend.”

Now in his fifth and final season at Whitworth, he is looking to cut the nets down one last time before he hangs up his No. 23 jersey for good.

While the core of the roster has changed significantly each season over the past three years, whether the Pirates graduated seniors or lost players transferring into higher-level opportunities, Holtz has been the one consistent piece.

“A huge thing for him has been his ability to grow and see the game around him,” Whitworth coach Damion Jablonski said of Holtz. “These last two years, you’ve seen a huge jump in his ability to just make the right play as opposed to just trying to score. He gets so much attention from other teams, he’s virtually double teamed every time he touches the ball.

“So what he’s been able to do with his field goal percentage and just picking up assists or making the right play has been incredible.”

This year, Holtz is averaging 16.3 points, six rebounds and a couple assists, to go with a steal and block per game. But his impact goes far beyond the stat sheet.

“On the court, he’s probably one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever played basketball with,” Junior guard Diego Jaques said of Holtz. “He plays with a lot of heart. He’s all in at all times.

Jablonski called Holtz one of the most coachable players he has ever had.

“I think you’ve seen him really mature as a person as well,” he said. “I think the guys gain a lot of confidence playing with someone of his ability who has found a way to be a great teammate.”

Throughout his five years as a Pirate, Holtz, who is working to get his MBA this year, said he has worked to understand what it takes to be a leader for his squad.

“I’m not the most vocal guy, but I like to lead by example, like getting in the gym early and getting shots up,” he said. “Working with the freshmen, and helping develop them for their years to come.

“…I feel like I’ve learned a lot with that and controlling my emotions and letting that carry on into the game when the game is not going our way. And preaching that on our bench — all it takes is a run. It’s a game of runs.”

Holtz’s path to Whitworth was not the most traditional recruitment.

Born in Japan and raised on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Holtz always thought his young talent as a quarterback would lead him to college football one day. But when he picked up basketball during his freshman year of high school, he started to reconsider.

He eventually excelled in both sports, serving as the team captain of both teams his senior year. He took home Division II state player of the year in basketball.

Whitworth first appeared on Holtz’s radar when he was recruited by the Pirates’ football team. Eventually, Holtz’s basketball highlights made his way to Jablonski, who joined in on the recruitment.

“He was just a heck of a competitor,” Jablonski said of what he saw from Holtz as a recruit. “Honestly, all of his high school highlights look like what he’s been able to do during his career (at Whitworth). He’s just a really good scorer, inside and out, and plays with a lot of passion.”

While Holtz eventually decided to stick with basketball in college, he partially credits football and the competition in Hawaii for building his toughness as a player.

“I would say I’m a bruiser,” he said. “I have an engine. I’m diving for loose balls and banging down low. A lot of the dirty work that people don’t see and doesn’t show up in the stat sheet.”

With the regular season coming to a close on Saturday as Whitworth escaped with a 72-71 win over Linfield, the Pirates finished the year with a firm grip on the regular season Northwest Conference title and will host the conference tournament next weekend.

The Pirates, which sit at 15th in d3hoops.com’s last top 25 ranking among Division III programs, hope another strong regular season translates to a fourth straight championship.

“I kind of knew I wanted to do a fifth year from the moment I knew I had an extra year of eligibility,” Holtz said. “I’m just grateful I’m able to do that and get my Master’s (degree) done within a year, and just play the game I love for another year and just be around the guys.

“Now let’s go win another championship.”