KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As the confetti fell, Keshon Gilbert looked up with a wide grin on his face.

The Big 12 Championship belt could not feel any lighter as Gilbert was on cloud nine. Although Gilbert could not put into words how he was feeling, his smile spoke volumes.

Gilbert’s hard work had paid off. He helped Iowa State bring home the Big 12 title. Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s trust in him became worth it when he earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player (MOP) award.

It was not just the last game that Gilbert influenced; he was a driving force in all three of Iowa State’s blowout wins in the Big 12 Tournament.

Gilbert started the weekend with a 12-point, five assist game against Kansas State. Nothing too crazy for the transfer guard, as he was used to willing himself into double figures. Along with that, Gilbert also recorded six steals as he led the team defensively in shutting down the Wildcats.

That was the biggest reason Otzelberger wanted him when he entered the transfer portal. Not only did they have a close relationship from their time together, Otzelberger knew that Gilbert would fit the Cyclones’ way of playing basketball.

“Obviously believed in him at UNLV,” Otzelberger said. “He’s a special, special player.”

The semifinal matchup was when Gilbert showed how special he was. As the Cyclones looked to make a push against Baylor in hopes of getting a revenge game against Houston, Gilbert was the driving force on offense.

Gilbert led the team with 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Nearly a triple-double on the biggest stage of the season so far.

As Gilbert was sitting on stage at the press conference after his lights-out game, he was patiently waiting for a question to come his way. Although finding the words at times is tough for Gilbert, he did not want his 20-point performance to go unnoticed.

When asked if there were any more takers for final questions, it was Otzelberger who spoke up.

“[Gilbert], you had a great night tonight, statistically, but you do so much more for your team than what’s on the stat sheet. For the last question of the night, tell us why you keep your focus on just making the right play at the right time, offensively and defensively, because it really helps your team win,” Otzelberger said.

“That was a long question,” Gilbert said. “Say it one more time.”

“How do you keep your focus?” Otzelberger said.

“Just wanting to win,” Gilbert said. “Making the right play and being in the right spots on defense. That’s what it takes to win, so that’s what I try to do.”

It was clear that no one was more proud of Gilbert than Otzelberger. Seeing the fruits of Gilbert’s labor pay off against one of the top teams in the nation proved that Otzelberger was right to trust in Gilbert.

Going into the final matchup, a rematch with the No. 1 team in the nation, Gilbert had to prove himself one more time. It was clear from the fire in his eyes that not even Houston could slow him down.

“I wanna win,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert filled the stat sheet again in the rematch with Houston. He finished the game with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. He also had three steals in a game that had very few turnovers.

Not only was Gilbert efficient, but he was the reason the game got out of hand for Houston.

As the second half opened up, Gilbert knocked down two scores to help the Cyclones start on a 7-0 run, which shifted the tide in the game. The most influential shot came at the top of the key when Gilbert let a 3-pointer go in transition that sank.

That dagger shot from Gilbert put Houston too far behind, and it was clear that the game was over at that point.

“That’s what he does, and that’s what he keeps doing,” Otzelberger said.

Gilbert’s efforts did not go unnoticed, as he was awarded the MOP award after the game. When asked to do a speech, the only words that came to mind were: “Shoutout to the fans.”

After the game, Gilbert was letting it all sink in. With the confetti all around him and the MOP belt slung over his shoulder, he let out a sigh of relief.

When asked if he could put into words how he felt following the win, Gilbert put it simply.

“No. No. No,” Gilbert said.

But his smile said it all.

Gilbert worked hard throughout his entire basketball career. He went through ups and downs, but he finally found a place to call his home. He finally found a team and a coach who trusted him and that he could trust as well.

With all the work he put into being a leader on the team, winning the Big 12 title was the ultimate way for him to know that his work paid off.

“It’s crazy. I’ve been working for a long time. I just been wondering when it’s gonna pay off, and it finally paid off today,” Gilbert said.