Like the Emoni Bates traveling road show that preceded it, the Trey McKenney experience at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s played out in front of ever-increasing crowds throughout the career of the state’s top prospect.
Unlike Bates’ early exodus, though, McKenney doesn’t appear to be taking the road out of town.
After leading his Eaglets to their first Division 1 title earlier this month — and fifth overall — he was voted the Michigan Associated Press Division 1 Player of the Year for a second straight season by a panel of sports writers.
The junior reiterated his plan is to stay another year at OLSM.
“Mostly every prep school in the country wants me right now, but I’m just focused on graduating from Orchard Lake," McKenney said his season-high 32-point, 10-rebound performance in a 63-52 win over North Farmington in the state finals. "I’m going to do that next year and hopefully win a state championship.
"I’ve been thinking about it (a repeat). Everybody has one state championship, but if you get two, you’re a legend. That’s what I’m gonna try to do.”
He’s approaching that status.
He has helped the Eaglets win 63 of 80 games in his career along with a state championship, two Catholic League titles and trips to the quarterfinals, semifinals and now finals in his three seasons.
The Eaglets will be returning more than 80% of their scoring from this season, including McKenney’s 22.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
His coach already thinks he’s already attained that legendary status.
“He’s already top 10, no question,” OLSM’s Todd Covert said. “As I’ve gotten to know him and watch him develop as an athlete, student and young man in general, he reminds me a lot of (Detroit Country Day’s) Shane Battier. He’s a gentleman on and off the court, but he just kills you with efficiency, hard work and a skill level not many people possess in this game.”
That demeanor hasn’t been lost on opposing coaches, even as they have to deal with game-planning against him.
“Can he graduate early?" North Farmington head coach Todd Negoshian asked. "He’s tough. He’s got an NBA-style game right now with floaters, fade-aways. He’s so strong.
"I think the biggest thing people need to realize about him is how good of a kid he is. Very nice. Very cordial to us as a staff and our players. Most kids, when they’re that skilled, they don’t behave the way he does and carry themselves like he does. He does an unbelievable job of representing his family and himself the best he can.”
Negoshian was named the Division 1 Coach of the Year after guiding the Raiders to the title game
Joining McKenney on the All-State team are: Saginaw Heritage’s Tyler Ode, Saline’s Jonathan Sanderson, Ann Arbor Huron’s Macari Moore, East Lansing’s Cam Hutson and K.J. Torbert, Zeeland West’s Merritt Alderink, River Rouge’s Keshawn Fisher, Davison’s Greg Lawson and Grand Rapids Northview’s Cam Ryans.
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