Perry head coach Denny McDonnell may want to consider keeping whatever he said to his team in the locker room at halftime in his back pocket, as it were, to produce later in the season when needed.
Trailing visiting ADM by three, at 29-26, the Bluejays suddenly exploded after the break, using a 15-8 run to open a 41-37 lead at the end of the third quarter. While the extended spurt may have signaled what was to come, no one in the gym could have foreseen the totality of Perry’s domination over the final eight minutes.
Perry outscored ADM 20-2 during the frame, including holding the Tigers scoreless after the guests closed to within 48-39 with just over four minutes remaining. A final 14 Perry points created a 62-39 victory, the first of the season for the Jays.
The win ends a four-game skid to start the season and avenges a pair of difficult losses to the Tigers last year. The Bluejays are known to openly display their emotions, and the reaction of the team — particularly of those players involved in the two losses — was clearly evident as the fourth quarter wound down.
The Tigers (2-3, 1-2) were sharp in the first half, particularly guard Tajen Ross, who scored 14 of his team-high 20 points before the break. ADM led, 16-12, after one frame before taking a 29-26 lead into the intermission. They held a 31-30 edge three minutes into the second half before Perry closed the frame with an 11-6 spurt.
ADM had no answer for 6-4 post Janier Puente’s physical play in the paint, with the senior scoring seven baskets in each half and added to free throws after the break to finish with a game-high 30 points, fueled, in part, by 14 rebounds.
Kyle Nevitt hit for 11 points and grabbed 14 boards for the Jays, with Connor Nielsen playing a strong game, distributing six assists while scoring eight points. Five points apiece from Rashon Ivory and Brandon Kenyon — who recently joined the team — and three free throws from Tanner Duffy accounted for the Perry scoring.
Each team was guilty of 16 fouls, with ADM sinking 9-of-14 free throws and Perry 8-of-14.
Perry is tentatively slated to host Ogden today (Saturday) for a junior varsity/varsity boys-only set beginning at 12 p.m. Both Perry teams will cap their pre-holiday schedule with a visit from Winterset Tuesday. A variety of events and activites will coincide with Tuesday’s games.
