Travis Perry focused on winning more than career scoring mark
EDDYVILLE, Ky. (BVM) – Next year, same place? That’s the situation Travis Perry and his Lyon County Lyons boys basketball team are in as the team won its second straight Region 2 championship to secure a spot in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Boys’ Basketball Sweet 16. This is the first time in program history that the Lyons have ever gone to the state tournament in back-to-back seasons, after making the field and winning a game in the tournament last year.
“It obviously means a lot, it’s something that’s huge for myself, my teammates, our coaches and our community really. It’s a huge deal and something we’re very excited about,” Perry said. “We’re blessed with the opportunity we’ve had, the traditions we’ve put in and I’m glad we were able to make it back and play in Rupp [Arena] again.”
While the star guard’s focus has and always will be on winning, much of the outside chatter is more about the individual accomplishment Perry may earn during the event. That’s because Perry, with his 4,317 career points, is just 20 points shy from tying the KHSAA career mark of 4,337 held by Wayland’s Kelly Coleman who set the mark all the way back in 1956.
“Everyone is putting a lot of hype about it being at Rupp and that would be something really cool, something very out of the ordinary and something that I would be very thankful for,” Perry said of the potential to beat the record. “If it happens, it will be really cool and something that I’m very thankful for but first and foremost I’m focused on going up there and getting a couple of wins.”
Dude is going after a 67-year-old scoring record in Kentucky 😤🪣🏀 @Travis_Perry11 pic.twitter.com/f4LpPQa3m1
— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) February 14, 2023
Though he may not be focused on the record, all eyes will be on the team’s opening-round game against Newport on March 16. That’s because Perry has averaged a whopping 32.2 points, second in the KHSAA this season, which sets him up to break the record during that first contest. The junior guard is grateful that, although most fans have come to see his incredible exploits, they have also been able to see his teammates, coaches, school and community.
“It’s been really crazy but it’s a huge blessing and great opportunity and something I’m very thankful for,” Perry said. “We have a ton of people at each one of our games, we have people coming up to me all the time wanting just to have a conversation about schools or anything in general about the scoring record. It’s something I don’t take lightly. I’m very thankful for the position I’m in, the opportunities I’ve had and just really blessed with everything that’s happened throughout my career to take me to this point.”
Perhaps no point was more hyped or highlighted than Perry’s game against Dawson Springs on Feb. 16. Perry played out of his mind during that contest, setting a school record with 61 points while shooting 24-of-37 (64.9%) with 15 rebounds in the lopsided 114-56 win.
“I just got hot early. I got a lot of offensive putbacks, a lot of buckets early then it just started clicking,” Perry said. “I started hitting some threes, getting some fast breaks, getting some steals, getting some rebounds and pushing the ball and just continuing to score the ball at a high rate and making most of my shots, not missing too many. Just having fun really, just playing basketball and playing loose and free.”
🟣🦁🏀RECORD BREAKER🏀🦁🟣
After further review…..
With his 61 pt performance tonight, Lyons Junior Travis Perry has broken the single game scoring record for LC 🏀‼️#lyonsroar pic.twitter.com/rIc2k7R7aL
— Lyon County Athletics (@Lyoncoathletics) February 17, 2023
His career night couldn’t have come at a better time for the junior. University of Kentucky head men’s basketball coach John Calipari was at the game to take in Perry’s masterful performance. While the moment was a memorable one for Perry, he made sure to point out that it was also a special one for Lyon County as a whole.
“That was definitely very cool for myself, for my teammates, for our staff, our community and everyone there,” Perry said. “You don’t have Coach Cal in the gym every night and it’s something that not everyone gets to experience. I was very thankful for that and just glad I could put together a good performance while he was there and that my team was able to have a good game.”
John Calipari went to watch Lyon County’s Travis Perry tonight
So he went out and scored 62 points pic.twitter.com/4cO9D8DFjt
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) February 17, 2023
Coach Cal isn’t the only coach to pay attention either. After having just three Division I offers as of last March, Perry’s stock has exploded. Currently ranked as the No. 86 overall prospect in the Class of 2024 by 247 Sports, Perry has received 17 offers including from Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Ole Miss and Purdue, the last four which he has made visits to.
“It’s been really crazy honestly, it just blew up there really quickly,” Perry said of his recruitment. “I love basketball and I love talking basketball and getting to talk basketball with the greatest minds in the basketball world is something I don’t take likely and I’m very thankful for. Just all the opportunities I’ve had and all the opportunities I continue to be blessed with I’m very thankful for each and every one of them.”
@umichbball pic.twitter.com/X3rhQy5tLI
— Travis Perry (@Travis_Perry11) September 19, 2022
While everyone in Kentucky is eagerly waiting for Perry’s decision, he’s in no rush. He wants to make sure that the school and the team are the right fit for him and he wants to be able to cultivate a strong relationship with his future coaching staff before making his choice.
“[I’m] really just taking it all in as it goes. Building those relationships, seeing where I think is the best place would be for myself and for my future where I can help a school and where the school and the coaching staff and everyone involved can help me,” Perry said. “Just having the best relationship and the best opportunity and that’s what it’s going to be about for me, not really rushing it. Just taking it as it comes and enjoying the process.”
With all eyes focused on the scoring record and his future, Perry has his eyes firmly set on this season. He knows he has a special team that could make a run at Rupp and hopes to give Lyons fans something they will remember forever.
“It would be a dream come true honestly just to have that opportunity [to win a state title] and to be able to do that would be amazing,” Perry said. “Hopefully we can put together a couple of good shooting games, have a couple good games out there, put on some good shows and hopefully win four in a row up there and make a historic season for Lyon County.”
So if Perry does in fact break the scoring record this season, what could he possibly do as an encore as a senior? For Perry, he wants people to expect more of the same – winning.
“The main thing for me has always been about winning, it has not been about scoring or anything like that. It’s just been about going out there and taking care of business and winning ball games and doing it not for myself but for my teammates and coaches,” Perry said. “It’s obviously an awesome accolade to have and something I’m very thankful for but for me at the end of the day it’s about winning first. Hopefully next year we can come out and win a lot more games, but I’m focused on this year first.”
