Last season was one to remember for the Perry boys basketball team, as a late-season surge sent the Bluejays to the state tournament for the first time since 1988. A lopsided loss in the quarterfinals did little to sully the glow on the efforts of a team that came together and played exceptionally well down the stretch.
However, Perry (15-10, 8-6) will have to replace All-State guard and school career scoring leader Shammond Ivory, wing shooter Ryan Rathje and others from a team that used experience to build a winning campaign.
Also gone is head coach Ned Menke, who stepped down to focus on new duties as co-principal at Perry Elementary School. He has been replaced by Denny McDonnell, who joins Perry from Iowa Christian Academy.
McDonnell inherits a team that, despite the losses due to graduation, returns a solid core that could produce another special season — if all the pieces play together.
Perry was the fifth-most prolific offense in Class 3A last year, scoring 1,770 points (70.8 per game). The team shot 45.7 percent, which includes a 175-of-569 (30.8 percent) rate behind the 3-point arc. The Jays pulled in an impressive 35.1 rebounds per game, but struggled at the foul line, sinking just 281-of-496 (56.7), a weakness that contributed to several close losses.
Back for the Bluejays is senior Kyle Nevit, who scored 389 points (15.6 ppg) while grabbing 126 rebounds. He had 58 assists, 38 steals and 11 blocks while sinking 38-of-123 (30.9) on 3-pointers and 43-of-67 (64.2) at the free throw line.
Senior Janier Puente shot 62.3 percent from the floor while averaging 11 points per game. He had 211 rebounds (ninth best in 3A), of which 94 (fourth best in 3A) were off the offensive glass. Puente made 39 steals and blocked 18 shots but must shoot better than his 47-of-103 (45.6) clip at the charity stripe.
Junior guard Rashon Ivory (6.2 ppg), 78 assists, 27 steals will run the offense. He drained 15-of-53 (28.3) beyond the arc and showed a quick first step that will be key in drawing defenders and leaving others open.
Junior Connor Nielsen will likely be called upon for increased scoring and should see a considerable increase in playing time. Nielsen scored 3.1 ppg last year while making 28 steals and blocking 18 shots.
Drew Levan, Grant Eklund, Brandon Kenyon, Noah Wilkening and Dane McCarty will give McDonnell a bench that saw limited playing time last year but had success when given the opportunity.
Perry begins the season Dec. 2 with a trip to Carroll as part of a girls/boys Raccoon River Conference twin set.
