[1] Heathcote developed into a fine three-sport athlete at South Kitsap High School in Port Orchard,[4] and after a year in the Navy V-5 program as World War II ended, he enrolled at Washington State College in Pullman and played basketball for the Cougars under head coach Jack Friel.
Montana had little historic success in the sport,[2] but in his fourth season at Missoula in 1974–75, Heathcote led the Grizzlies to their first Big Sky Conference championship.
[2][8][9][10] Heathcote was hired by Joseph Kearney at Michigan State in April 1976 and began the most successful phase of his coaching career.
Led on the court by sophomore Magic Johnson, MSU defeated the Larry Bird-led Indiana State Sycamores in the title game in Salt Lake City.
As a coach, Heathcote was particularly noted for his excellent defensive strategies on the court and was second to none in blocking the opposing team from penetrating to the hoop.
While Heathcote continued to follow Michigan State during the college season, his primary basketball interest in his final years was the local Gonzaga University; he attended all Bulldogs home games, and had a monthly lunch with head coach Mark Few.