Colton Graham leads Polson Pirates back to State A

Colton Graham has a soft shooting touch, serious wide receiving skills, a horse named Champ and a 2006 Toyota Tacoma with only 150,000 miles on it.

That’s how the Polson senior put it: “Only 150,000 miles.” Maybe it is a surprisingly low number, since he’s been driving at least 30 miles a day, 180 days a year, taking the back road from Ronan to Polson for school.

As the Polson Pirates gear up for a third straight State A basketball tournament appearance — they play Glendive at noon on Thursday — Graham is averaging 19 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals.

“He does a little bit of everything,” Randy Kelley, in his eighth season coaching the Polson boys, said. “I mean, he’s played every position for us these last three years. He likes running the point, because he likes being that leader, with the ball in his hand.”

Graham made a pretty good splash as a freshman, averaging 10 points a game. His average jumped to 11.4 points as a sophomore and 17.6 points as a junior and along the way, Jarrett Wilson gave the Pirates an extra point man.

“Last year we kind of moved him around,” Kelley said of the 6-foot-3 Graham. “They do a pretty good job of sharing the ball, and it makes us a little more dynamic, because we can run different sets depending on who’s handling the ball.”

“With either of us bringing the ball up, we’re going to play fast,” Graham said. “We try to get the ball in as fast as we can. Jarrett attacks the rim well and finishes well.”

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Graham is the middle of three kids born to Mike and Niki; his older sister Katelyn played at Ronan High, and Mike teaches math in Ronan as well. For a time dad was on Steve Woll’s boys basketball staff with the Chiefs, and when Woll was dismissed as coach — he now guides the Ronan girls — Colton Graham was an eighth-grader who’d been playing travel ball for six years.

“After Coach Woll was let go, my wife and I decided to make the move with the kids,” Mike Graham said. “It wasn’t just about that; there were other things that were going on. We needed a new environment.

“And it turned out OK.”

For a time Niki would drive Colton to Polson in the morning, and then Mike would pick him up after football practice. Then, just as basketball practice was about to start, the freshman got his driver’s license.

The rest is some pretty impressive history. Graham crossed the 1,000 career point barrier this season, though the beginning was rough.

Last year the Pirates won their opener at state 69-55 over Lewistown, before dropping their next two games. In their second game this season — at the Frenchtown Tip-off — Lewistown handled Polson 65-47.

“That was a bad start,” said Graham, whose club is now 15-7. “We were playing sick — I think we had four players that had the flu for sure. But after that we started clicking together and playing pretty well.

“Then came Browning (a 70-65 loss that left the Pirates 4-5). After that we knew we had to get it together. Then we ended up winning the conference. As we planned.”

Jarrett Wilson adds 13.5 points a game, with Xavier Fisher (8.9 ppg) and Trent Wilson (8.2) being two more scoring threats. Trent Wilson, all 6-0 of him, is a tough rebounder and plays in the low post along with the 6-5 Braunson Henriksen and 6-1 Dawson Dumont.

And of course, Graham.

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This story wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention football. Jarrett Wilson’s video-game passing totals include 137 passes thrown Graham’s way. In just two varsity seasons Graham racked up 2,164 yards and 28 touchdowns in 17 games.

Naturally, Frontier Conference football programs have shown interest.

“I have not committed anywhere,” Graham said. “I’ve just been waiting to see what I can do for basketball. It’s the sport I love more.”

“He likes football, but he doesn’t love football,” Mike Graham said. “He loves basketball. You have to love the sport you go to college for. If you don’t, it’s tough to make it work.”

MIke Graham loves the fact his son has great grades, and loves that Colton loves a branding, where he can rope a calf or two.

“We’re hoping he finds a college where he can play basketball,” he said.

“He’s got to be a little more physical, get in the weight room,” said Kelley. “But those are things you can say about any high school player. He can find a program to fit into.”

He’s certainly put the time in on the hardcourt. He was playing travel ball by third grade; his skills eventually landed him on the Idaho Selects along with Griz signee Rhett Reynolds, Payton Sanders of Billings Skyview, Bozeman shooter Ty Huse and Boise standout Jack Payne, who’s headed to Colorado State.

:I don’t know if I’ve had a kid with more basketball knowledge than him,” Kelley said. “He plays a lot of ball in the offseason, and he’s like having another coach on the floor.”

These experiences had to benefit Graham, and he in turn has helped the Pirates consistently win: 44 victories over the last three seasons, and counting.

“I think if we go in there with the right mind set, play our game, and play fast,” Graham said. “We’ll put up a fight.”