TREY DRAKE Senior Jamestown
Trey Drake has been part of the Jamestown High School boys basketball program since he was old enough to walk. That’s what happens when you’re the son of the head coach.
With that connection, of course, there were some fringe benefits.
When he was old enough, Trey — waterboy and ballboy extraordinaire — found himself included in memorable road trips and celebratory team photos with the likes of Jaysean Paige, Tommy Campion, Zack Panebianco and James Rojas during the Red Raiders’ deep playoff runs, including Section VI and Far West Regional titles, and two trips to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Final Four.
Now, nearly a decade removed from those memorable moments with some of the program’s all-time greats, Trey isn’t just an “extra” in a photograph, but he is, in fact, a member of that exclusive fraternity of hoops alumni.
In his final season in a Jamestown basketball uniform, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior averaged 15.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game, leading the Red Raiders to a 19-4 record, including a perfect 12-0 in Erie County Interscholastic Conference Division 1. The Red Raiders’ season came to an end in excruciating fashion when they lost to Niagara Falls 53-52 in the Class AA sectional final.
Despite that last-second setback, however, Trey’s accomplishments during the 2022-23 campaign were significant.
Since the season ended not quite two months ago, Trey has been named the ECIC Division 1 Player of the Year; All-ECIC First Team; and All-Western New York Large School Second Team. For his career, Trey — a four-year starter and three-time First-Team ECIC Division 1 player — finished with 1,082 points (No. 8 all-time in school history); 181 3-pointers (No. 1 all-time); 192 assists (No. 15 all-time); 119 steals (No. 15 all-time); and 407 rebounds (No. 18 all-time). For those efforts, Trey will be inducted to the JHS Basketball Wall of Fame.
Among his highlights this season were a 27-point effort at Orchard Park, 22 points against both Canisius and Bishop Timon, and a 32-point explosion vs. Bishop McDevitt (Pennsylvania) at the Elmira Tournament in December.
“That’s the best Trey has ever played,” said his father and coach Ben Drake about that one-point win against Bishop McDevitt. “Offensively, it took a few weeks to get his legs underneath him and get in basketball shape. It was great to see him play like he did. He was very good inside and (from the perimeter).”
A Second-Team All-State quarterback last fall and one of the best QBs in Red Raider history, Trey will continue his athletic and academic career at North Dakota State University where he has accepted a full scholarship. Fittingly, Trey’s official letter-of-intent signing was held at McElrath Gymnasium, the site of some of his finest hoops memories.
Now he has one more.
Thirty-three years after his dad, Ben, was named The Post-Journal Player of the Year following the 1989-90 season, Trey can add his name on the OBSERVER/Post-Journal POY list, too.
Like father, like son.
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