Jonathan Perry Says NO To A Division 1 Offer

How does it feel to be a 4 year varsity starter, 3 times an All Region Player in the talent rich State of Texas & in your senior year to add All State Honors to your resume but STILL have no Division One offers?  Most players and families would likely panic, or perhaps even turn their backs on the pursuit of college basketball out of frustration.  Not Kerrville Tivy's Jonathan Perry!

After 100 plus games on the highest level of the circuit with the Texas D1 Ambassadors, Perry had lots of D1 nibbles but no offers at the end of this spring.  College staff changes killed sure fire opportunities at the Citadel and Army.  So, the Perry Family made the trek to Virginia this past spring and decided that Fork Union Academy with it's rigorous academic and social policies (no vehicles on campus and limited cell phone usage by the players/student body) was the place he was going to be.  He'd reclassify and look at his college opportunities after an additional year.

My friendship with the Perry Family runs deep so I suggested that Jonathan get back on the circuit with the D1 Ambassadors this summer and let's see if something would break as far as offers.  Perry continued to work on his game and his body (working with my partner TJ Garza of Speed Killz Period to improve strength & quickness).  The result was an even more versatile player.  The 6'4" Perry could already handle the rock and shoot it, but now he'd dramatically improved his first step in getting to the rack and was physically handling 6'6" guys defensively down low as well as coming out to the perimeter to keep his man in check.

All this culminated on Tuesday evening when veteran Coach Tim Floyd (Chicago Bulls, USC, New Orleans Hornets etc) called the Perrys and offered Jonathan a scholarship to the defending champion UTEP Miners of Conference USA. Not only did Coach Floyd offer the scholarship he also said Jonathan would get 8-10 minutes a game as the back up point/combo guard. For good measure let's throw in Floyd's extensive resume of developing players (including a remarkable 3 who did NOT play high school ball, yet played in the pros!)  Hard to turn down, right? Wrong!

 After a day and a half of deliberation the Perrys politely refused and said they would honor Jonathan's COMMITMENT to Fork Union and legendary Coach Fletcher.  It was the right thing to do, in their way of thinking.  I've got to hand it to them, they are people of faith and are staunch in their belief of God's Plan.  I respectfully disagree, as I think it is a great opportunity BUT good people can have differing points of view.  :-)   So, on that note we wish Jonathan Perry all the best as he prepares to head off to Fork Union Academy in the next few days to pursue his educational, spiritual & hoops dreams.  You can bet he will be in somebody's D1 uniform in the 2011-2012 season.

Coach Max Ivany & The D1 Ambassadors Family.