Sequoyah Claremore junior guard Acee Proctor has grown up in the blue and gold, but this season the varsity floor finally felt like home. After years in the program, Proctor earned meaningful minutes for the Eagles and made the most of them as a shooting guard.
“What I love most about my teammates at Sequoyah is that we all trust each other to do what we do best,” Proctor said. “Representing Sequoyah is special to me is because I’ve been going here since kindergarten and this year, I actually got the chance to play meaningful minutes, so it was a very special season for me.”
Proctor said the adjustment to a larger role came with challenges, especially on cold shooting nights. “This year I played shooting guard, the hardest part about playing my position was that some nights my shot wouldn’t fall and that would mess with my confidence a little bit,” Proctor said. To respond, he spent extra time in the gym, focusing on expanding his range and tightening his handle.
“My strength is my shooting ability,” Proctor said. “But recently I have been working on extending my range so I can shoot farther out from the three-point line. I’ve also been working on my ball handling skills, so I can be more confident bringing the ball down the court.”
Away from games, Proctor’s favorite place is still the gym. “In my free time I love to get shots up on our shooting machine here at school,” he said, adding that he also enjoys listening to music. Around the team, he points to teammates Derick Cole and Mason Weeks as the most talkative voices in the locker room. “The most vocal teammate is a tie between Derick Cole and Mason Weeks,” Proctor said. “Derick Cole definitely makes the team laugh; I don’t think he means to though.”
In the classroom, Proctor said his favorite subject is Leadership with Coach Thomas. “Every day we learn something new, and Coach Thomas does an excellent job getting the classroom engaged in our discussions we have,” Proctor said. He also serves in Student Council and Spanish Club, and he credits his dad as his biggest inspiration.
“The person that inspires me the most is definitely my dad,” Proctor said. “He pushes me to be my best, and always supports what I want to do.” Proctor said athletics has taught him lessons that will last well beyond his time at Sequoyah. “Something that athletics has taught me that I will use later in life is how to work in a team atmosphere with people that are different than me personality wise.”
