HOUSTON – Houston ISD has cause for celebration this week, as a district record three schools have made the state final in boys basketball, something that has never been done in the district’s long history.
In Class 4A, the Booker T. Washington Eagles are in the Division 1 final against Dallas Kimball, while Wheatley is in the Division 2 final against Kennedale. In Class 6A, Bellaire is Division 1 final against Duncanville.
At Wheatley High, there are signs in the gym and across the school with three simple words - Prove Them Wrong.
“Nobody really believed Wheatley would be where we’re at right now so we’re just proving the haters wrong,” said senior guard Quinton Sanders.
The Wildcats are 28-7 this season and looking to win their first state title since 1978. Wheatley was once a powerhouse, winning five UIL state titles in the 60s and 70s, and 12 more championships in the PVIL before desegregation.
The Washington Eagles have had a tumultuous year, with longtime former head coach Vincent Grayson charged and jailed in a teacher certification scheme. Grayson led the Eagles to the state final in 2023 for the school’s first UIL final appearance. Washington is back just two years later under coach Jessie Shelton, with the help of assistant Jermaine Byrd. Under their tutelage, the Eagles are 29-4 and on the doorstep of a championship.
“It’s been very exciting,” said Byrd. “It started off with some trials and tribulations, but thankfully our guys pushed through.”
The Eagles lost Guy V. Lewis Award winner Chris McDermott, who is now at Texas A&M, but continued to win. Samuel Johnson leads the Eagles by averaging a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.
At Bellaire, longtime coach Bruce Glover said after Tuesday’s win over San Antonio Brennan that he plans to retire after the season. Before that, Glover hopes to bring a trophy to the Cardinal faithful and change the narrative about HISD schools.
“Every now and again you kind of hear a little (nose turned up) at Bellaire or HISD. ‘HISD this, HISD that, HISD doesn’t do this, HISD doesn’t do that,’ well the proof is in the pudding,” said Glover. “I’m HISD proud.”
Bellaire is looking to make history, as this is the first time they had ever made the state semifinals, and now the state finals. The Cardinals are led by Duke signee Shelton Henderson, who scored 26 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in Tuesday’s win, outclassing Brennan point guard Kingston Flemings, a University of Houston signee and 5-star standout.
Washington and Wheatley play Friday evening, with Wheatley at 5 p.m. and Washington after. Bellaire plays the final game of the boys basketball season on Saturday at 7 p.m.
