Wilson-Henryetta claims Class B boys title after upending undefeated Calumet
OKLAHOMA CITY - During his playing days at Wilson-Henryetta, Grant Proctor was a solid player on average teams.
"I think we got as far as the regional consolation games," the 2010 grad said in a moment of recollection here Saturday.
That's three rounds from getting to state and six games from doing what he did moments earlier as a coach with a dominating fourth-quarter performance from his Wilson Tigers to the tone of a 69-45 win over previously unbeaten Calumet in the Class B state title game.
"If as a player your days are done, you can still be around the game as a ref or coach," he said. "I made the decision to tend to those kids and give them the mentorship that I received."
It became family in more ways than one. Four roster spots are occupied by brothers of the same family and two took the game into their hands and cruised with it down the stretch.
Za'brien Shelburn and Keshon Shelburn each contributed 25 points. Keshon, a sophomore, had 13 rebounds and four assists to go with his scoring. Za'brien had 17 of his in the second half as Wilson, which used a 9-0 run over the final 3:09 of the first half, took the Chieftains (31-1) by storm.
Za'brien, a freshman, has a twin brother, Zion, who added 9 points and 3 assists. Charles Shelburn, a junior, had two points and three assists.
There were four lead changes in the first half, and Wilson took the last one by the throat in a 9-0 run over the final 3:09 of the half to go up, 30-25.
Ke'Shon Shelburn had a pair of free throws, a basket off a fast break and a 3 from the top of the key to begin that tear. He had 15 of his points at the half.
They would not trail again.
While neither team could find any offensive rhythm in the third quarter - it took four minutes for either to get a field goal - the Tigers' athleticism ultimately took its toll on the Chieftains, which they used to pull away after a 9-9 third quarter and a 39-34 advantage, scoring 30 fourth-quarter points.
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Calumet shot just 25 percent, 6-of-24 in the second half. The Tigers were well above 50 percent in building a 26-point fourth quarter lead but fell off late to 43 percent (26-of-60).
"Our guys play with an immense amount of confidence when they get it going," said Proctor. "When we start jelling and we're making shots then being disciplined on defense, we're a hard team to guard.
"I love my boys to death. They're all just a bunch of high energy guys."
Wilson, ranked seventh overall in the final OSSAA coaches poll in late January, took down No. 4 Frontier 65-50 on Wednesday and blew out No. 2 Duke, 59-38, on Friday to reach the finals against the top-ranked team.
"I mean all week we've stayed locked in in the locker room, watching film and understanding our game plan each time out," said Za'brien Shelburn.
Calumet had 61 of 71 first-place votes in the final poll. Four coaches had Wilson No. 1.
Proctor had a feeling about this team during summer ball while matched up in an early morning game with Class A No. 1 Okay, which fell in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
"It was an 8 a.m. game," he said. "Our guys don't like to wake up till noon so I was scared to death.
"Okay had everyone back from a trip to the finals and I thought they would run us out of the gym, and instead we gave them everything they wanted. So, I felt pretty confident afterward that we had the potential for something special."
It's something that may continue for a while. But in a new era of NIL and open transfer, things change, and one particular move could take four key pieces out of his lineup, two of which were on an AAU team that won a national title as eighth-graders - Zion and Za'brien.
Keshon Shelburn, at 6-foot-2 (the other brothers are all 5-10) has words of assurance for the tiny community that sits between Henryetta and Okmulgee.
"We're coming back, and we're going to keep this going," he said.
Proctor shrugged, saying he can only do what he does, and believes in.
"The biggest thing we have to give kids is a personal relationship," he said. "I tell the guys this is bigger than basketball and eventually the ball stops bouncing for all of us. They've got me as a mentor and a coach for life."
Photos by Michael Kinney
-- Mike Kays | @SBLiveOK
