The Brantley Bulldogs basketball team experienced an emotional moment in a Birmingham hotel room Sunday night, just 12 hours before their Class 1A state semifinal appearance at Legacy Arena.

The session was led by the biggest legend in the history of the school.

The small Crenshaw County town is synonymous with the name Person. Before there were basketball stars Wesley Person and Wesley Person Jr., there was Chuck Person, the leading scorer and second-leading rebounder in Auburn basketball history.

Now, the Brantley legend is giving back to his high school program. Chuck Person was on the Bulldogs’ bench Monday as they advanced to the Class 1A state championship game with a win 78-67 win over Hubbertville.

“It’s almost like a cheat code having Chuck over there on the bench,” said Brantley coach Andre Parks. “He’s in charge of the offense. He brought a different mindset to the team.”

After scoring 2,311 points and grabbing 940 rebounds at Auburn, Person was the No. 4 overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in the 1986 NBA Draft. After 14 years as an NBA player, Person spent 17 years as a coach, most recently at Auburn. But he was ensnared in a recruiting scandal and ultimately pleaded guilty to a bribery charge.

Now he’s back in the game at the place where he became famous as one of the best players in state history. Parks could not be happier.

“Last night was a pretty special moment,” Parks said. “We all came down to his room right before we went to bed and we watched his videos from when Auburn made the Elite 8. He talked to the guys about how special it was to make it that far. He won’t mind me saying that he broke down and cried and told them that these are the best moments of your life so you should go out and enjoy it.”

Person’s involvement in the program directed by Parks should not come as a surprise. They have been connected since Parks was a star player at nearby Luverne High School while Person was already an established NBA star.

“I’ve known Chuck since I was Jayden’s age,” Parks said of his son, who scored 34 points in Monday’s win. “It was great to have Chuck mentor me when I was Jayden’s age. He calls Jayden his grandson and he calls me his son.

“I reach out to him every year. It worked out this year that he was able to help.”

Parks said the trust has always been present between Person and his family.

“He took me under his wing,” Parks said. “He took me everywhere. My grandmother and grandfather were really strict on me, and they didn’t want me going many places. But if I said I’m going with Chuck and we’re going to moon they’d say, ‘make sure you’re safe.’”

They aren’t going to the moon. But with Person’s help, Parks has his Brantley team one win away from a state championship.