The Perry boys will face host Nevada tonight when HOIAC basketball resumes, with the Bluejays entering the contest 0-8 overall and 0-6 in conference play.
Perry’s struggles on the hardwood are well-documented. The team was winless in 2018-2019 and 2020-2021 and has won just nine total games the prior four years.
That history could wear down a team mentally, but head coach David Morris insists that has not been the case with the current crop of Jays, which is a young squad working to write their own story.
“I have seen vast improvement over the last few weeks,” Morris said recently. “It may not be seen by all, but it is there. We are playing at a higher speed and defending at a different level and working together. It is a team process.”
The Jays are being outscored by an average of 66.1-39.8 points per outing, but that margin is an improvement over last season. The bugbear has been slow first quarters, which have doomed Perry in almost every loss.
Changing the flow of the first eight minutes will be key to any hopes for future success, as will improved shooting.
The Jays are sinking just 33 percent of their shots from the floor and only 53 percent from the foul line, both areas Morris has targeted for improvement. The team is a combined 34-of-150 (23 percent) on 3-point attempts.
Drake Levan leads the way with 66 total points, with Zander Mahler having 58 and Geren Kenney 53. Others atop the list include Holden Smith (39 points), Kaelen Davis (36) and Matthew Booker (22).
Mahler’s 34 rebounds are a team-best, with Booker having pulled down 30 boards and Levan and Smith 22 each. Levan has handed out 28 assists, Mahler 15 and Kenney 14, with Mahler making 18 steals, Kenney 12 and Smith 11.
Kenney leads the team beyond the arc, draining 13-of-35 3-pointers, a 37 percent clip.
After tonight’s trip to Nevada Perry will travel to Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny Friday to face Grand View Christian in a non-conference set before resuming play Jan. 14 with a visit from South Hamilton.
