Kentucky basketball target Travis Perry updates recruitment after big game in Lexington
Few college basketball recruits around the country can claim the kind of reputation Travis Perry can.
The small-town sharpshooter is among the most prolific distance shooters at the high school level, and he’s fast on his way to becoming the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky high school boys’ basketball history.
Anyone who needed a reminder of all this got it Saturday night in Lexington.
In a marquee high school showdown featuring Perry’s Lyon County team against class of 2023 UK signee Reed Sheppard’s North Laurel team, it was Perry who made headlines and grabbed the win.
The 6-foot-2 junior point guard scored 45 of Lyon County’s 90 points in the win, which included a 17-for-26 shooting performance from the field and 10-for-16 from three-point range.
“Honestly, I was just letting it out of my fingertips, and it was going in,” Perry said.
The setting for the occasion also wasn’t lost on Perry.
The junior has 16 scholarship offers according to 247Sports, including plenty of brand-name programs that are actively recruiting him. This group includes Cincinnati, Kentucky, Michigan, Ole Miss, Purdue, Vanderbilt and Virginia.
Saturday’s Lyon County-North Laurel showdown took place at Lexington Catholic High School in front of a packed house full of Kentucky fans getting a preview of what Sheppard — who had a triple-double in defeat — will bring to the Wildcats next season.
“It felt like a street ball game, just chucking up shots and they’re going in,” Perry said of the matchup, which saw himself and Sheppard combine for 77 of 173 total points.
“The crowd’s into it, the team is into it. We wanted to win this one really bad. (North Laurel) wanted to win it really bad. And that’s the best game. It was just a fun environment for me and my teammates to play in.”
So far in his recruitment, Perry has taken a trio of official visits: To Purdue and Michigan in September, and to Ole Miss in November.
He also attended Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness in October.
On Sunday, less than 24 hours after his 45-point outing, Perry was at Cincinnati for the Bearcats’ home game against Houston, now the top-ranked team in the nation.
With regard to his recruitment, Perry said he doesn’t have a specific timeline for a commitment, but that he’s currently prioritizing game-day visits to schools.
Perry also shared some thoughts about his recruitment by Kentucky.
“Cal is Cal. He’s a great recruiter, a great guy,” Perry said of Kentucky Coach John Calipari. “It’s been fun to be around the team some when I’m up there, around the coaches, just get a feel for what it’s like to play and then obviously get to meet some of the guys like Reed, DJ (Wagner) and all of them at Big Blue Madness was pretty neat.”
Kentucky is currently without any commitments in the class of 2024.
Perry added that he has some game-day visits scheduled for February, but didn’t specify which schools he would be visiting.
Perry and Lyon County aim for return to Sweet 16
As far as the rest of his junior season is concerned, Perry and Lyon County (14-4) are aiming to make a repeat trip to Rupp Arena for the Sweet 16.
Last season, Lyon County reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1951.
As far as attaining the all-time Kentucky high school scoring mark, that will most likely have to wait until next season for Perry.
The title is currently held by Kelly “King” Coleman, who scored 4,337 points at Wayland High School from 1952-56.
After Saturday’s game, Perry — who has been a high school varsity starter since seventh grade — is at 3,744 points, unofficially the second-leading scorer in state history, and 593 points shy of Coleman’s total.
Perry averaged more than 20 points per game for Lyon County as a seventh grader, and while his scoring ability has remained elite, he’s evolved significantly in the way he approaches basketball.
Perry said his mindset around big games has shifted from feeling nervous because of pressure, to being excited and viewing it as a privilege to play in high-profile games.
His junior season to date — which has come along with the additional interference of his college recruitment — has been an example of this.
So what has Perry learned about himself?
“Really that I’ve got a great support system, great teammates and just great family overall,” he said. “They’re taking me around to see all these places, getting to meet all the cool coaches, just really how blessed I am to be in the position I’m in. I’ve been favored for most of my life, having great opportunities that have been put forward in front of me.”
“That’s just what it’s about. Just taking advantage of the opportunities and living in the moment.”
This story was originally published January 10, 2023 at 7:52 AM.
