Wolfe begins Lady Tiger tenure with 54-30 victory
The Wilson varsity basketball program kicked off its 2023-2024 season this past Friday evening at the Tiger Den.
The first opponents for the Wilson cage squads this season were the Pirates and Lady Pirates of Paden High School.
Last Friday was also a special Homecoming event for Wilson head girls basketball coach Rikki Wolfe.
Wolfe, who was a high school basketball standout at Schulter from 2003-04 to 2006-07, returned to Okmulgee County as head coach of the host Wilson Lady Tiger varsity basketball program after spending her first nine seasons as a head coach at Sasakwa.
The Lady Tigers made Wolfe’s Homecoming extra special, providing the new WHS head coach her first win at the Okmulgee County school in the season opener, defeating the visiting Lady Pirates by a 54-30 decision.
The host Tigers completed the season-opening sweep with a convincing 73-41 victory in the nightcap.
The Wilson cage squads were back in action this week, competing at their annual home basketball tournament – the Wilson Tiger Classic. The Tigers were scheduled to open tournament action Monday evening against Epic Charter School, while the Lady Tigers were scheduled to begin tournament play Tuesday evening against Riverfield Country Day School.
After the week-long home tournament, the Wilson cage squads are scheduled to return to action next week with home games against Weleetka (Dec. 11), Schulter (Dec. 12), and Mason (Dec. 15).
In last Friday’s girls season-opening battle with Paden, the Lady Tigers jumped out to a 21-3 advantage after the first eight minutes of action, then outscored the visitors 17-4 in the second stanza for a 38-12 halftime lead.
Paden attempted to make a comeback in the second half, outscoring the Wilson ladies by margins of 13-11 and 10-5, respectively, but the rally was not enough to derail the Lady Tigers’ season- opening 54-30 victory. Janelle Proctor was the top offensive contributor for the victorious Wilson squad with a game-high 20 points. Jayda Pinkston also finished in double figures for the Lady Tigers in the season-opening win with 12 points.
Other Wilson scorers against Paden were Kaozong Yang with eight, Kaylee Earhart four, Kayla McCracken, Ty Williams, Uyen Yang, and Brooklyn Weeks two apiece, and Reese Herring and Jamie Proctor one each.
In last Friday’s boys season opener, the host Tigers came out of the opening frame with a 15-6 advantage, while the visitors took the second stanza by a narrow 17-16 margin to send the contest into the intermission with the host Wilson gentlemen in front by eight, 31-23.
The Tigers came away with a pair of 12-point advantages (24-12, 18-6) in the second half to turn a close contest into a runaway 73-41 victory.
Zabrien Shelburn had the hot hand offensively for the host Tigers, finishing with a game-high 32 points. Charles Shelburn was next offensively for Wilson in the season-opening win with a 16-point performance.
Other scorers for the Tigers last Friday were Zion Shelburn and Esiah King with seven apiece, Marque Rivera five, Andrew Wilson four, and Aiden Barnard two.
— Girls Game
Wilson 54, Paden 30
Paden: 3 – 4 – 13 – 10 (30) Wilson: 21 – 7 – 11 – 5 (54) Wilson Scoring: Janelle Proctor 20, Jayda Pinkston 12, Kaozong Yang 8, Kaylee Earhart 4, Kayla McCracken 2, Ty Williams 2, Uyen Yang 2, Brooklyn Weeks 2, Reese Herring 1, Jamie Proctor 1.
— Boys Game
Wilson 73, Paden 41
Paden: 6 – 17 – 12 – 6 (41) Wilson: 15 – 16 – 24 – 18 (73) Wilson Scoring: Zabrien Shelburn 32, Charles Shelburn 16, Zion Shelburn 7, Esiah King 7, Marque Rivera 5, Andrew Wilson 4, Aiden Barnard 2.
