FLINT, Michigan — It’s been a week since Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School won the MHSAA D1 boys basketball state championship their first since the year 2000. They defeated North Farmington High School by 63-52, led by a 32-point, 10-rebound performance by Flint resident Trey McKenney who snagged the AP D1 Player of the Year award for the second year in a row.
In the final moments of the game, McKenney’s dad, John, jokes with friends and family saying he is going to make the 5-star, ESPN 13th-ranked 2025 recruit take a week off from basketball activities to relax.
His son has had a long season of 6:00 a.m. game day morning practices on top of finishing the season on a 24-game win streak while maintaining a hectic school schedule with a 3.58 accumulative GPA and participating in student government at St. Mary's.
“We chose Orchard Lake because of its amazing academic offerings,” McKenney’s mother Jasmine said. “At first, his father and I were very nervous about our then 14-year-old being away from home so early, but I think that has added to the full experience and has accelerated his growth and preparedness for college.”
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K.C. Cavette (right) and Greg Burks(left) working on running drills with
Trey McKenney (right) and Phoenix Marble (left). (Ray Gray | Flintside.com)
When I caught up with father and son on a Sunday morning, I walked into Moses Lacey's Field House in Beecher and found the Junior G/F 6-foot-5, 212-pound basketball standout working on shooting and speed drills since 9:00 in the morning with former Flint basketball standouts Greg Burks and K.C. Cavette while both groups were in town.
The workout session finished around 12:15 p.m. and K.C. Cavette lightly helped McKenney stretch, and afterward, caught up with Greg Burks about a few post-move pointers.
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Trey McKenney shoots a shot against North Farmington during
the state championship game. (Ray Gray | Flintside.com)
With a smile, John looked at me and said he only got up to 5 days away from the game he loves after being named Gatorade and Max Preps 2023-24 Michigan Player of the Year by both respected outlets this past week.
“Having everyone come to support me from both sides of the family, my school, and winning the championship on my father’s birthday was a great feeling and moment for me,” McKenney shared.
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Trey McKenney waits for his name to be called during the state championship game against North Farmington. (Ray Gray | Flintside.com)
To get to that level, many sacrifices were made just knowing what it took to win the state championship, the AP D1 Player of the Year award for the second year in a row, and the Gatorade Michigan Player of the Year award. The last recipient from Flint to win was Kelvin Tolbert in 2001.
“Kids are looking up to me for creating history inside my high school which they never had on the basketball side. You know, it will last forever,” said McKenney.
After a stellar junior season, McKenney is looking forward to some downtime, hanging out with friends, and fishing with his grandfather before he goes off to Arizona for the USA Basketball minicamp.
“Being selected to participate in the 2024 USA Junior National team mini camp this April is a big accomplishment,” shared McKenney.
“Not too many people get to do that so just taking advantage of it and going down there with the mindset, getting ready to be precise, do what I need to do to make it.”
McKenney is on the verge of being one of the top 10 high school basketball players in the nation, and he is not committed to any college team right now, with over 40 D1 offers from top basketball programs, including visits to Michigan, Michigan State, Georgetown, Illinois, Notre Dame, and counting. This summer, he will be participating in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League's Peach Jam.
For his senior season, McKenney has his eyes on another D1 basketball state championship and the coveted Michigan Mr. Basketball award.
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