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Records are nice, but wins are better.
Or at least this is the way record-setting guard Travis Perry of Lyon County sees it. The junior guard scored 32 points Saturday night in a comeback win over Bracken County to increase his career point total to 4,022 — second in state history only to King Kelly Coleman.
“Business comes first. Winning comes first at all times,” said Perry on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “My main goal is to make it back to Rupp (Arena for the state tournament).
“But (4,000 points) is a huge blessing. It’s very humbling. To step back and look and see I am one of only two to ever do that … it sinks in how blessed I am to be in the position I am and have the platform I have.”
Perry is averaging almost 31 points per game and there was no pressure to get 4,000 points Saturday because he not only has four more regular season games and postseason play but he has all of next year. Still. he was frustrated at times in the first half Saturday with some shots he missed.
“It was just a big game with a big crowd. My shots were not falling early. I was missing shots that could have given us a bigger push,” Perry said. “I was glad to get it done last night but it is not about the points. I was upset with missing shots I should have made when teammates set me up and not always making the right reads.”
He stayed after his game to watch McCracken County-Christian County play and admitted his phone was “blowing up” with calls and messages of support.
“It’s a huge blessing to have so many people support and keep up with me. I wouldn’t trade that for the world and that’s why I answer all those texts,” he said.
Tonight he’ll continue his pursuit of Coleman’s all-time record of 4,337 points when Lyon (22-5) hosts University Heights (18-8). UHA beat Lyon in the 2nd Region All “A” Classic and is one of the main threats to keep Lyon from earning a return trip to the state tourney.
“It’s a game we want to win. We had a bad game against them last time,” Perry said. “We want to see if we have grown enough and learned from mistakes we made last time. The last time we got a little rattled.
“We have to play our game and be us. This game won’t determine who goes to Rupp (for the state tourney) but we would like to get a win to get a little pride back because that was a devastating loss for us.”
