MACOMB, Ill. — Western Illinois men’s basketball coach Chad Boudreau has had Shay Stephens on his radar since Stephens was old enough to dribble a basketball.
Stephens, a 6-foot-4 senior point guard for Notre Dame High School, made it official Tuesday when he signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the NCAA Division I Leathernecks and Boudreau.
For Boudreau, it was inevitable.
For Stephens, it is the opportunity he has been working hard for as long as he can remember.
“It feels good. I’m finally done with the process. It’s a big weight off my shoulders. I can finally focus on my senior season,” Stephens said. “It’s been stressful trying to figure out the best fit for me. Luckily I have a good support system with my family. They helped me through it. I got over to Western and got to sit down and talk with the coaches. That really solidified my thought process.”
Boudreau goes way back with the Stephens family. Shay’s grandfather, Delbert Stephens, used to officiate Boudreau’s games at Harmony High School. Boudreau grew up playing pickup basketball games with Shay’s father, Corey.
And Boudreau’s wife, Stacey, the head volleyball coach at NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, was teammates with Shay’s mother, Meghan, on the volleyball team at Iowa Wesleyan College.
For Boudreau, everything now has come full circle.
“I’ve followed Shay for a long, long time,” Boudreau said. “Shay fits in perfectly. He’s really developed and he’s a very hard worker. His game has come a long way through the years. He’s very skilled and very athletic. He’s a good kid, a good student and a good basketball player.”
Stephens is coming off an all-state junior season in which he averaged 20.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game while shooting 51 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from 3-point range and 76.7 percent from the free-throw line. He helped the Nikes reach a Class 1A substate final before bowing out with a heartbreaking loss to North Linn.
For his career, Stephens is averaging 12.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
Stephens polished his game under Notre Dame coach Dan Kies and assistant coaches Gavin Kies and Mike Koelker.
“Coach (Dan) Kies is a huge part of my high school career. Massive support with him, Coach Gavin (Kies) and Coach (Mike) Koelker. They let me play my game and be a leader. That’s a big part of who I am now,” Stephens said. “(Gavin Kies) coming to practices has helped us as a team learn what it takes to be successful at the next level. College coaches are going to be as lenient on mistakes. He’s really driven that into us that there isn’t much room for error.”
Dan Kies has been impressed with Stephens’ work ethic. No one outworks Stephens in practices or games.
“The big thing with him is his commitment. He’s a gym rat. He does everything twice. He continues to work. He strives to get better. He’s never stopped. He’s a great leader by example. He never asks anything of others that he wouldn’t do himself,” Kies said. “There were a lot of people who said he was too small. As a freshman they said he was too small. Well, he worked his way up because of his drive and he got varsity playing time. He earned it. It was not given to him. He wanted it from Day 1, I’m sure. But we’re not going to give it to somebody who doesn’t work for it.”
Stephens has further honed his skills playing for Murray Elite, an AAU team based in the North Liberty area.
“I told him, ’Shay, you have to get better to play at this level.’ A lot of guys run from that criticism and that kind of feedback. But he didn’t run. He delved into the work. He worked harder and got bigger and stronger, which helped,” said Burlington native Jamie Pettigrew, Stephens’ coach with Murray Elite. “He worked. Even since our last game in July, I went and watched him last week in North Liberty and he had gotten stronger, more athletic. He’s never stopped working. I’m super proud of him because he is showing that a kid from Burlington, if he is dedicated to the work and the process, he can reach the stars.”
Boudreau is anxious to get Stephens on campus and into the mix. He believes the sky is the limit for him.
“Shay has a very high ceiling. He’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be. He’s a late bloomer,” Boudreau said. “Shay is great with the ball in his hands. He’s a great decision maker. It’s truly a blessing to have him join our team. I am really excited about it.”