UWGB men's basketball brings former Neenah star Chevalier Emery Jr. home after two collegiate stops

GREEN BAY – Chevalier “Ice” Emery Jr. led the Neenah boys basketball team to the WIAA Division 1 state title in 2022.

The 6-foot guard now has decided to return home to help the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay win a few Horizon League championships.

Emery announced Sunday he committed to play for the Phoenix after a big sophomore campaign at Dodge City Community College in Kansas.

“It means the world,” said Emery, who started rattling off Phoenix standouts from the past. “I have been around the game, around GB basketball, my whole life. When I started playing basketball for West De Pere (youth program), my first coach was (UWGB great) Jeff Nordgaard. … The GB men’s basketball program runs deep within me, just because I know a lot of people who played there.

“It means a lot to my family. Just being able to see them in the stands now every home game. I got two little brothers who live around here (in De Pere), so I get to see them grow up as well. There is a lot of great things that come with Green Bay basketball.”

Emery earned a scholarship out of high school to play at Merrimack College, an NCAA Division I school in North Andover, Massachusetts.

He didn’t play much as a freshman, appearing in 14 games and averaging 3.1 minutes.

Emery entered the transfer portal after that season, and although he had some brief conversations with UWGB, it didn’t result in an offer.

He might have needed to add a little to his résumé, which is exactly what he did.

Emery found a home at Dodge City, which is the same school his father played for.

The two share more than a first and last name and a love for basketball, but also that nickname “Ice.” His dad is from Louisiana, and one of his favorite players growing up was former LSU star Jerry “Ice” Reynolds.

Emery earned playing time last season, and he didn’t disappoint when given the opportunity to have an impact.

He averaged 18.7 points in 17 starts, shooting 45.3% overall (107-for-263) and 41.6% from 3-point range (52-for-125) while playing 30.6 minutes per game.

Emery always believed he was a DI player. He just had to show it.

He is a more polished player coming to Green Bay, and even though he didn’t play much at Merrimack, it helped with both his development and his breakout sophomore season.

“I think the biggest thing for me was I was able to watch,” he said. “We were conference champs. I got to watch what it was like to win, but from a different perspective. I’ve always won, and I’ve played wherever I’ve gone, so it was different for me.

“I got to really mold my game. I got to understand what it was. I got into the weight room. It gave me time. It gave me another year to get in front of a lot of people.”

Emery received plenty of interest after entering the portal again this offseason.

He had discussions with several DI schools, a list that included Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Ball State and Marshall.

But Emery still had the Phoenix on his mind. He took an official visit to campus Friday after the staff offered him a scholarship a few days earlier.

He didn’t need much time to decide UWGB was the place for him. He had gotten a good vibe from Phoenix coach Sundance Wicks when he took an unofficial visit in December, and he has a working knowledge of some of his new teammates.

Emery has played with forward Amari Jedkins and against guards Preston Ruedinger and Foster Wonders in the past.

“It just helped when we talked to Coach Sundance,” Emery said. “He sold me. After that, as soon as we got done with our last meeting, I just let him know that I was going to be a Phoenix.”

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Chevalier Emery Jr. shined on defense at Neenah

In order to get minutes playing for Wicks, it helps to be a good defender.

Emery excelled at that part of the game while at Neenah. He often was asked to guard some of the top players in a competitive Fox Valley Association.

Some nights it was Kimberly’s Jackson Paveletzke. Other nights it was Kaukauna’s Christopher Morgan.

“Chevalier was one of the few people who could compete against them and challenge them,” Neenah coach Lee Rabas said. “Not saying he won all those battles, but he was able to challenge those guys. Keep them in front and battle them like no one else in the conference really could. I really felt like for his junior and senior year, especially, he was as good as there was defensively in the FVA.”

The coach and point guard butted heads at times when Emery was younger, but the two built a strong relationship that peaked by his final year of high school.

Rabas always saw a player who worked hard at his craft. He was competitive and focused.

He also displayed his leadership as a senior for a Neenah team that went 29-1 on the way to its first state title since 1978.

The Rockets were loaded with talent that season, including fellow seniors and future collegiate players Carter Thomas and JJ Paider.

Emery averaged 18.3 points, 4 assists and 1.7 steals. His biggest play of the season came in a sectional semifinal against Kimberly, when he hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send Neenah to a thrilling 66-64 win.

It was part of a 27-game winning streak to end the season.

“We had to share the ball, our offense couldn’t just be dominated by one person,” Rabas said. “We had to distribute shots. He was willing to do that. That was a big part of why we were successful.”

Rabas is confident his former pupil can have a successful DI career. He acknowledges he’s like a father looking at his son through rose-colored glasses, but Emery left such an impression during his prep days that there is no reason to doubt him now.

“I’m a big fan, a big supporter,” Rabas said. “I know what he meant to us and what he did for us.”

Emery will help fill void Noah Reynolds left at UWGB

No player will replace what former star point guard Noah Reynolds did in his one season with the Phoenix in 2023-24 before entering the portal and signing with TCU last month.

Wicks isn’t allowed to comment on a recruit until their paperwork has been filed, but he likely thinks Emery can at least play a part in helping fill the void left by Reynolds.

Emery knows he can create shots not only for himself but for teammates. It’s the role he said the staff discussed with him, and something he will embrace.

Whatever it takes or whatever is asked, he’s in.

“I want to win,” Emery said. “I want to come to this city and get us a Horizon League championship. That is my main goal.”

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Former Neenah star Chevalier Emery Jr. commits to UWGB basketball