He Plans to Keep Gumming Up the Words
Robbie Shelton has found a somewhat unusual way to concentrate during basketball games.
Rather than talk to the opposition, the fans or the referees, Shelton, a 6-foot-7 forward at Cypress, keeps his mouth busy by chewing gum.
Shelton’s strategy hasn’t worked to perfection, however. He has had a run-in or two and received at least one technical this season.
“I can’t talk as much with the gum in my mouth,” Shelton said. “It helps me stay out of trouble.”
Focusing better has helped Shelton become one of the better players in the Orange Empire Conference.
He is averaging 20 points and shooting 56% for the Chargers (20-7), who are 5-3 in conference and in fourth place.
Shelton has also shown a good touch from outside, making eight of 18 three-point attempts.
“He’s one of the best players we’ve had here in years,” Cypress Coach Don Johnson said. “He’s just such a versatile player. He can dribble, use his off-hand, and he plays pretty good defense.”
Shelton, 19, came to Cypress from Western High School, where he was an All-Orange League player as a junior. He didn’t play his senior season because of a conflict with Western Coach Greg Hoffman, now the head coach at Marina High.
But instead of sulking because he had missed his chance to shine as a senior, Shelton played basketball during open-gym time at Cypress College and took part in as many pick-up games as he could.
“He has put in a lot of time on the court,” Johnson said. “He walks home after practice and sometimes stops and plays in pick-up games at the park.”
Shelton’s constant practice has helped him become a skilled ballhandler. In fact, despite being a few inches taller than most of his schoolmates growing up, he said he usually played away from the basket in grade school, junior high and high school.
Shelton moved to the center position for the first time last season because Cypress didn’t have any other players big enough to play there. He averaged 11 points and six rebounds, and the Chargers reached the quarterfinals of the regional playoffs.
Johnson had hoped to move Shelton to a forward spot this season, but because other players haven’t developed as expected, Shelton is back in the middle.
“It has made me tougher,” he said. “I was always getting beat up by guys bigger than me (last year). But this season it isn’t so bad. There aren’t as many big centers.”
The move inside also has allowed Shelton plenty of opportunities at the free-throw line, where he has already set the Cypress career mark for shots made and attempted.
Shelton has made 148 of 208 free throws this season and is 259 of 363 (71%) for his career. Shelton is also moving up the all-time scoring and rebounding lists at Cypress.
He has 833 points, fourth on Cypress’ all-time list, entering Wednesday’s 7 p.m. game against visiting Fullerton. Tyrone Branyan (1975-77) is at the top of the list with 1,093 points.
Shelton is eighth on the all-time rebounding list with 416. Mark Eaton (1978-80) is No. 1 with 599. Eaton is currently playing for the Utah Jazz.
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Women’s basketball: Orange Coast must be careful not to overlook Saddleback in Wednesday’s featured Orange Empire Conference women’s game. The teams play at 7 p.m. at Saddleback.
The Pirates (22-3, 6-1 in conference) are in second place and take on first-place Golden West (27-2, 7-0) Friday at OCC. But Saddleback (6-12, 3-4) has won three of its last four.
Golden West has a bye Wednesday.
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Men’s basketball: Rancho Santiago (17-2, 6-2) is at Riverside (20-7, 6-2) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a game that features the teams tied for second place.
Saddleback (19-6, 7-1) is on top of the conference standings and travels to Orange Coast (4-18, 1-7). OCC is the only team to beat Saddleback thus far in conference.
