ADEL — The defense rests.
Perry suffocated the ADM offense for the second time this season, holding the host Tigers to only 10 first-half points en route to a 51-41 Raccoon River Conference victory Friday.
The highest-scoring team in the RRC, ADM (9-6, 6-4) averages just over 63 points per outing, and aside from a 50-39 win over Gilbert has been held under 60 points only twice — on Friday and in a 62-39 loss at Perry Dec. 16.
Perry (6-6, 5-4) yielded only two 3-pointers from Matthew Larson and baskets from Cole Knoll and Carter Nordman in the first 16 minutes. The Bluejays led, 9-6, after one period and entered the break with a 19-10 lead.
A 20-14 third quarter edge gave the guests a 39-24 lead entering the final frame, and while the Tigers were able to close to within 10 points in the final two minutes the issue had long been settled.
Perry hit 11-of-18 free throws in the game, including 9-of-15 in the second half. ADM attempted only two shots at the stripe the entire contest — both of them misses in the first half.
Connor Nielsen had only two points in the game, but his dunk and energy on defense inspired the Jays, who were led by Kyle Nevitt’s 21 points. Janier Puente scored 14 points and Rashon Ivory 12, with Brandon Kenyon sinking two foul shots.
ADM’s Tajen Ross entered the game averaging 25.2 points but was held to only five after scoring 20 in the first meeting between the rivals. Payton Conrad led the Tigers with 12 points, with Larson adding eight and Knoll and Samuel McCartney six each. Koby Hardcastle and Nordman each tallied two points for the home team.
The result snaps a four-game winning streak for ADM and ends a two-game skid for Perry.
Perry will visit Des Moines Christian today for a boys-only freshman/junior varsity/varsity set beginning at 12 p.m. They will pair with the Jayettes in traveling to Winterset Tuesday before hosting Ballard Friday.
