Allan Chaney Adjusting to Life as a Virginia Tech Hokie

Two years ago, Allan Chaney was preparing for his senior season at New London High School in New London, Conn. During that season, Chaney averaged 26 points per game, along with 15 rebounds per game.

After posting those numbers, Chaney received calls from many Division I schools, such as Indiana, Georgetown, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, and Florida, to come play basketball. Out of those schools, Chaney picked the University of Florida for his college career, but things didn’t work out the way he was expecting.

After starting only two games as a freshman and averaging three points per game for the Gators, he decided to transfer to Virginia Tech, hoping for a fresh start with an old friend.

“I really didn’t do my homework on every school,” said Chaney. “Honestly though, I felt like I could go in there (Florida) and play. But, it was just an unfortunate situation, and it didn’t work out.”

 

Chaney will have to sit out this year due to NCAA transfer rules, and the Hokies will redshirt the sophomore. However, Allan will be back out on the court with childhood friend, Malcolm Delaney, next year.

Delaney, a junior and preseason first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, met Chaney when the two attended the same middle school in Baltimore. When Delaney heard Chaney was thinking about transferring from Florida, he told him to rethink about Virginia Tech.

“He’s a good player,” said Delaney. “Coming out of high school I was trying to get him down here. I told him we had some openings that matched what the coaches were looking for. He was comfortable with the school from the start, so it was an easy decision.”

Baltimore is known for producing tough professional players, such as journeyman Sam Cassell, 1987 fourth overall pick Reggie Williams, and Muggsy Bogues, the shortest player in NBA history. Delaney seems to be on his way to a solid career, and Chaney feels as though growing up in Baltimore has helped him prepare, as well.

“[Baltimore has helped me with my] toughness. When I go and play, I always play hard,” said Chaney. “Baltimore is a rough place anyway and it helped me out a lot mentally and physically.”

Even though Chaney has to sit out this year, he was still eligible to practice with the team, until he tore his labrum and underwent surgery, ending his season. That doesn’t mean he still can’t help out the Hokies though on the vocal side of the game.

“The plan now is to help out Jeff [Allen] with the zone [defense] and he’s looking better every day,” said Chaney.

“Me and Allan are cool,” said junior Jeff Allen. “Him coming in is another post man and he sort of plays like me. He’s getting me prepared to play better defense.”

Injury or not, it’s tough for a player that’s been playing basketball since third grade to have to sit out and watch from the bench, especially when that player has talent that could help the team out.

“It’s tough mentally, but I can honestly say that the coaches here make everything so much easier,” said Chaney. “It’s so much fun being around everybody in that gym, and I want to come to practice.”

When Chaney signed on with Virginia Tech, head coach Seth Greenberg was quoted as saying that he expected Allan to be an immediate contributor when he became eligible, and he knew how to compete at an extremely high level. Having his new coach say that about him before he had even played for the Hokies made Allan feel welcomed into the Hokie Nation.

“It’s been great so far,” said Chaney. “I’m willing to develop just like Malcolm (Delaney) did here and coach (Seth) Greenberg is willing to help me out with that.”

When Chaney finally gets the chance to take to the floor in Cassell Coliseum for the first time next year, his presence will be noticed. At 6-foot-9, 235 pounds, it’s hard to miss Allan and that’s just what the Hokies need.

During his senior year of high school, Chaney was rated a four-star recruit (out of five) and was named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as being named to the ESPN Top-100 recruits for his class. In addition, he also accumulated All-State honors his junior and senior year, while being a team captain for the New London Whalers.

Two years removed from high school, Allan Chaney is ready to take on a new challenge along with the Hokies. Moving from Connecticut to Florida and now to Virginia in three years may rattle some people, but for Allan Chaney, it’s for the love of the game and that’s what it’s all about.