The Perry boys basketball team has discovered a formula has helped create five consecutive wins: slowly dominate under the basket and gradually pull away in the second half.
That was exactly the route the host Bluejays took Friday to generate a 66-56 win over the visiting Bluejays of Bondurant-Farrar in their Raccoon River Conference battle.
Perry (5-4, 4-2) faced a 15-12 deficit after one period of action but used a 15-8 spurt in the second quarter — keyed by turnovers and aggressive drives to the basket — to open a 27-23 halftime lead.
The hosts began to use their size to full effect after the break, with 6-5 senior post Janier Puente and 6-6 junior forward Connor Nielsen, along with 6-5 senior forward Kyle Nevitt, all beginning to score repeatedly from in close.
Another key was the unleashing of junior guard Rashon Ivory. The speedy Ivory pushed the tempo at times, using his ability to drive to the basket to full advantage. Ivory had several assists and put the ball in the bucket four times while hitting 8-of-8 at the foul line as 16 of his 20 points came after the intermission.
His penetration created opportunities for the scrappy, blue-collar work of Puente in the paint, with the senior producing a game-high 22 points.
Nielsen had 14 points and Nevitt nine, with Drew Levan adding a free throw to cap the Perry scoring.
An 18-13 run gave Perry a 45-36 lead with eight minutes to play, and the hosts were able to fend off B-F (5-8, 1-6) down the stretch for the 10-point win.
Ivory was crucial in the final two minutes on the clock — which took over 15 minutes of real time to play — as the guests, trying to save possessions and trim their deficit, continually sent the junior to the line, to no avail.
Bobby Wright III led B-F with 20 points, with Seth Moeller adding 11 points, Tanner Bedier eight points. Seven points from John Carlson, six from Mason Storey and four from Casey Zarr finished the scoring ledger for the guests.
Perry will play boys-only games at the Woodward Academy (east gym) at W-G Monday, with a varsity-only 6 p.m. game at Boone set for Tuesday. The latter is the makeup contest from the postponed Jan. 10 contest. The Bluejays will then join the Jayettes Friday in hosting Carlisle.
