Crean Lutheran’s Nate Klitzing coaches Saints in big game with a heavy heart

Nate Klitzing coaches his team Friday night against Cypress. (Photo: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)

It was a tough week for Crean Lutheran’s boys basketball coach Nate Klitzing.

On Monday, he found out that his grandmother, who he was very close to, had died and he began to make preparations to take a flight back to St. Louis to join family members for the funeral.

“It’s been a tough week for Southern California and a lot of people with Kobe and everybody who lost their lives in that tragedy, but also the next day my grandmother passed away, so it was a tough one,” Klitzing said.

“But she is in a better place and she’s re-united with grandpa in Heaven and that’s what we look forward to and that’s where we can find peace.”

Klitzing was on the bench coaching the Saints Friday night and was hoping to lead the team to a big win. But Cypress won the Empire League game 63-47 to clinch its third consecutive Empire League title.

Klitzing took a flight right after Friday night’s game.

“It was my dad’s mom and meant a lot,” Klitzing said. “I wish I was able to see her more frequently, because she lives far away but we play always here at Crean Lutheran for God’s glory and we play for those who mean a lot to us like my grandma.”

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com