After a summer of recruitment and decision making, Rainmakers forward Liam McChesney knows where he will be taking the next steps in his basketball career.
“It’s a weight off my chest because I’ve been stressing thinking about where to go,” McChesney said. “But once I saw the school it was a no-brainer that I was going to go there.”
READ MORE: McChesney reaching for the world stage
McChesney committed to play at Utah State University on Nov. 14, signing his letter of intent in the Charles Hays Secondary School gym in front of his parents, coaches and a few teammates.
“I’m really pleased with the coaching staff that I saw and the whole environment that he’s going to be at, and the development of him as a basketball player and as a person,” said Rick McChesney, Liam’s father. “There’s a lot of people who helped Liam get to where he is right now and they should be proud and recognized too.”
Seventeen-year-old McChesney had a number of choices of where to play collegiate basketball, but said it was the rapport he was able to build with Utah State coach Craig Smith that helped make the difference.
“Coach came up to Prince Rupert and we developed a special relationship,” he said. “And when I went for my official visit, the coaches and the team and the place was very special and I felt it was the right fit for me.”
McChesney will be joining an Aggies team that went 8-10 in the West Mountain Conference during the 2017-2018 season. The team made a run to the semifinals of the year-end conference tournament, losing to New Mexico 83-68.
A number of the team power forwards from the team will be graduating at the end of the 2018-2019 season, and McChesney is hoping to fill the void as an athletic power forward who can shoot the ball.
“They’re hoping I’m going to fill that spot for them and be a big part of the team,” he said. “Using my strengths and working on my weaknesses to making me better as a player and the team better in the end.”
Before he moves ahead to his next chapter, McChesney said he is remaining focused on the upcoming season with the Rainmakers, who he feels have a very strong team this year.
“We’ve just got to stay humble and hopefully make a run at provincials and come out on top,” he said.
READ MORE: Liam McChesney makes Team BC
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