‘Special athlete’ puts off college football, could make Douglass basketball even better
The stat line from Aveion Chenault’s unexpected return to Frederick Douglass basketball didn’t say much.
The Western Michigan football signee notched one point, two rebounds and a steal in just over eight minutes of action during No. 3 Douglass’ 58-52 win over No. 4 Bryan Station in front of a near-capacity crowd at The Farm on Wednesday night.
But the smiles on the faces of Chenault and his teammates as they picked him up after a hard foul in the second half said everything.
They’re thrilled he’s back.
“He’s a monster athlete,” junior guard DeMarcus Surratt said of Chenault, a first-team all-city player for Douglass in both football and basketball within the last calendar year. “It’s always great to have someone out there on the court to do the dirty work and make a highlight play if we need it.”
Chenault, a 6-foot-2 senior, initially planned to enroll early at Western Michigan and get a head start on his college football career. But the opportunity to be part of what seems to be a special Douglass basketball team proved too much to resist.
“I had a hard decision. … I chose to stay because I liked the culture,” Chenault said. “I liked what I was seeing. I just wanted to be part of all the great things that are here.”
Chenault watched as a fan as Douglass (11-2) took a fourth quarter lead on the road against then-No. 1 Great Crossing in the third game of the season. He traveled to Fairdale in Louisville to see the Broncos rout the Bulldogs. Then he squeezed into Lexington Catholic’s gym for the Broncos’ sold out holiday tournament championship win over the Defenders on Dec. 30.
With the blessing of his parents and his position coach at Western Michigan, Chenault spoke to Douglass coach Murray Garvin after the holiday tournament finals.
“I think winning is contagious, and he wanted to be a part of it,” Garvin said.
Many of the Broncos have been practicing together since Oct. 15, and they are now more than a month into the season. So Garvin put Chenault’s return to a vote of his players.
“It was a unanimous decision. It wasn’t my decision … but I was hoping,” Garvin said, smiling. “They thought he could be a key contributor down the stretch, and we all know that he can. We’re just going to try to get him in shape and keep battling.”
The freakishly athletic Chenault averaged 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds last season and was a huge part of the Broncos’ 11th Region championship and run to the Boys’ Sweet 16 semifinals in 2022.
Surratt alluded to Chenault’s highlight-play ability, which has yielded dozens of eye-popping dunks and a knack for shot blocking that has to be seen to be believed.
Garvin doesn’t expect all that just yet. Chenault hasn’t run a basketball court since last March.
“He’s not in shape. He doesn’t know the plays. But he’s a special athlete,” Garvin said. “I think he got a rebound out there and it looked like his forearm was above the rim. That’s something you can’t coach. He’s electric when he’s on the floor.”
Without Chenault, Douglass has already proved to be one of the best teams in the state. The Broncos’ December success vaulted them from No. 12 in the Herald-Leader preseason coaches poll to No. 3 in the latest Kentucky High School Boys Basketball Media Poll.
Against 42nd District rival Bryan Station on Wednesday, the Broncos shrugged off a sluggish start due in part to not being able to practice for a week because of the snow.
A 24-22 halftime lead ballooned to as many as 12 points late in the third quarter as Douglass’ defense frustrated Bryan Station’s attack. Standout junior point guard Amari Owens led the Defenders (13-4) with 22 points. Forward Taeshawn Adams added 15.
Jaunte “JJ” Jenkins led Douglass with 19 points and had a steal and a pair of buckets during the Broncos’ decisive 9-0 run in the third. Tate Robinson added 16 points, including five 3-pointers. Surratt tallied 11.
As the Broncos broke away, they tried to set up Chenault for a baseline dunk in front of their student section that would have surely brought the biggest roar of the night. Bryan Station’s Brunly Fon met Chenault at the rim, however, and sent the senior sub to the deck with a hard foul that served as Chenault’s first true “welcome-back” moment.
It brought the smile to Chenault’s face and all four of his teammates to him to help him off the floor. He made one of two free throws for his single point.
But stats can be misleading.
“I think I can come in and do the dirty work, like DeMarcus said. I’m not trying to come in and do too much,” Chenault said. “I’m just trying to play my role and help the team out.”
