Perry not worried about state scoring crown

Published 3:30 pm Tuesday, July 5, 2022

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Lyon County junior Travis Perry has created quite a buzz recently not only with his scholarship offer from Kentucky coach John Calipari but also from coaches at Ohio State, Michigan, Missouri, Wake Forest and Bradley in the past few weeks and now has about 15 Division I offers.

However, he admits his father, Ryan, who is also Lyon County’s head coach, might be even more excited than him.

“My father probably has been more giddy than me. He says I don’t seem that excited. I am just taking it all in and having fun,” Travis Perry said. “It’s really great to have him as a high school coach and dad. I want to build relationships with the college coaches but if they have a good relationship with my dad and me and my family, that’s the main thing for me.”

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The 6-2 guard has already scored 3,189 points in his high school career — and is easily within range of “King” Kelly Coleman’s all-time state scoring record of 4,337 points set at Wayland from 1953-56. He insists he’s not focused on becoming the state’s all-time leading scorer.

“I just play my game. As long as we are winning, I am happy,” he said. “My dad and I talk about winning a (state) championship and what needs to be done to win each game. If I need to get five points and 15 assists, I will do that. If I need 45 points, he will find a a game plan to make it work. I really don’t worry about stats and points. I just try to stay humble and get to work every day.”

The pressure of chasing the all-time scoring record and having a Kentucky offer won’t distract Perry.

“People already heckle me and say I am not that good. I don’t let it get to me. Actually, any chants just fuel me and make me go harder,” the Lyon junior said. “I have been hearing ‘overrated’ since the first game of my seventh grade year.

“But I definitely have had a lot of people reaching out now and saying how proud they are of me. A lot of people have been part of my journey and that’s why I am so humbled and honored to get these chances.”

Perry said he has no timetable for when he might make a college choice.

“I would just say I am still in the early stages. I do not see a commitment coming any time soon. When I find the best fit and relationship, that’s when it (a decision) will be made,” Perry said.