The name Perry is synonymous with Kerrville Tivy basketball. Papa Rick Perry moved his clan to the Hill Country 28 years ago. Who'd a thunk it that his eldest son, Keith who started his sophomore his sophomore year would begin a string of 11 straight years with a Perry starting on the hardwood. This opens up a joke that Rick, a tennis player at Oklahoma State (aka Cowboy High) may well have taken 11 years HIMSELF to get through school, but luckily he married above his pay grade and the kids got Mrs. Perry's smarts...lol
Keith started three years for the Antlers & went on to play college basketball at Schreiner and Howard Payne University. As soon as Keith graduated. middle son Jonathan became a 4 year starter and a two time All Region Player who also captured All State recognition this past year. Tim Floyd had just taken the Head Coaching job at University of Texas-El Paso and after watching Jonathan in Las Vegas & Phoenix with the Texas D1 Ambassadors offered him a scholarship this past July.
With an off day between Vegas & Phoenix, Rick, Jonathan (r) & Coach Max (left) hit the golf course. There is no official record who won that day, only vicious rumors...lol
The Perry's are unique folks in this day and age of "me me me" and "now now now". A few weeks before Jonathan had committed to do a prep school year at Fork Union Prep in Virginia. Believing God has a plan for his son, the Perry's stuck with that original plan and Jonathan (no surprise) is prospering in that environment which is causing his recruitment to heat up.
After a heck of a run to last year's regional semifinal, and graduating most of his impact players Kerrville Coach Brian Young could understandably expect a let down with this year's team. He did have 2011 G Deron Belford (Texas State) coming back to run the point, but he had almost no other experienced players in the mix.
2014 WG 6'1" Matt Perry, shown below at Max Ivany's All American Prodigy Camp: March 2010
Speaking with Pops Rick tonight, he told me that Matt got his opportunity early in the season when several Tivy players were benched for disciplinary reasons prior to the Marble Falls Tournament. The younger Perry saw the floor and after initially feeling like a deer in the headlights, Matt seized the opportunity and let his basketball instincts take over. He scored 16 points vs. powerhouse Killeen High, Perry followed that up with 20 vs Austin Travis, 13 vs Cedar Park Vandergriff, 12 vs Converse Wagner & 9 vs Liberty Hill. He's currently second on the team in scoring averaging 12ppg on the year.
His dad credited Matt's time with the Texas D1 Ambassadors in preparing him for the basketball opportunity. I appreciate his support. However the Perrys are fortunate to be coached by a fundamental, hardnosed guy in Coach Brian Young. He's an intense teacher who I respect very much. Matt Perry will have an opportunity to build on that legacy tomorrow as he laces them up in the Kerrville Tivy Classic.
