FLINT >> Trey McKenney knew he wanted to come back to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and take a run at another title this winter.

And the two-time Associated Press Division 1 Player of the Year now knows where he’s going to be playing after that, announcing his intention to play at the University of Michigan.

McKenney made the decision Saturday at Gloria Coles Flint Public Library in his hometown, as he gets ready for his season at OLSM, which will start Nov. 29, with a home date against Macomb L’Anse Creuse North.

McKenney picked Michigan over finalists Georgetown and USC.

On what separated the Wolverines, McKenney said, “Just my trust in them, trust in my coaches. My family, being very faith-oriented, being able to feel the relationship with them. Also, Michigan just being my dream school growing up, watching them with my dad.”

He said he made his decision that it would be the Wolverines a couple weeks ago.

“It was especially my official visit,” McKenney said. “The relationship with the coaches, the play style, just what the university is about as a whole.”

Through his first three seasons, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound combo guard helped lead the Eaglets to 63 wins in 80 career games, two Catholic League titles and a state title, after trips to the quarterfinals, semifinals before making the finals and lifting the trophy last winter. And the Eaglets were expected to return more than 80 percent of their scoring from last season, including McKenney’s 22.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

In addition to the second straight AP award, McKenney was also named Gatorade Player of the Year for Michigan, as well as the MaxPreps Player of the Year, and won a gold medal with the 2024 USA Men’s U18 National Team at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup.

A composite five-star recruit, McKenney is ranked as the top player in Michigan, the 17th-best recruit nationally in the class of 2025, according to ESPN, and the 24th-best per 247Sports.

St. Mary’s head coach Todd Covert spoke about the great support system McKenney has from his family, and that several months ago he and Trey sat down and watched tape to try and help him from that standpoint.

“I think the stuff (Michigan head coach Dusty May) does, he’s very analytical,” Covert said. “Trey’s style and personality really mesh, and people realize Trey’s a gigantic student of the game. He watches a lot of film and I think that’s going to align. Dusty plays a lot of what you could call ‘new age basketball,’ a lot of space, trying to take high-percentage shots. Most of the time those are 3s and shots in the paint, and Trey’s ability to hit the mid-range shot at a high level with how the NBA is — most of the stuff is pick and roll — and Trey’s ability to hit that at a 55, 60% rate, that’s a high number. I think they just match up.”

Covert has praised McKenney’s drive over time, and did so again Saturday, saying, “There’s the great players, and then there’s the elite — Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan — that win when they’re expected to win. They get better when they have it all. Most people need to fail a bit, to hurt, get in the valley before they take that next step. Trey’s got that intrinsic motivation just to work, and just because of that, he’ll continue to get better. He’s got the right personality.”

When asked what he feels when watching the Wolverines play, McKenney responded, “I get excited. I’ve loved Michigan ever since I grew up.”

On having the peace of mind of this decision behind him ahead of a season when the Eaglets will be looking to hang another title banner before he heads off to Ann Arbor, McKenney said, “It was very key getting this decision done before the season, just to have a free mind heading into the season, aiming to win another state championship.”