With over 4,000 points already to his name and the state scoring record within shouting distance, it’s somewhat surprising that Lyon County’s Travis Perry didn’t already have the Lyons’ record for points in a single game before Thursday’s matchup with hosts Dawson Springs.
But after a 61-point explosion in a 114-56 victory over the Panthers, not only did he cross the previous mark by a point, he did it with one of the most familiar faces in the Commonwealth in the stands.
University of Kentucky coach John Calipari had a front-row seat, and Perry and the Lyons didn’t disappoint while improving to 25-5.
Perry scored 13 of the Lyons’ first 14 points to provide an early eight-point cushion. The Lyons closed the quarter on a 19-0 run, capped by six-straight from Perry ahead of a dunk and a layup by Brady Shoulders.
Perry and Shoulders combined for 16 points in the second quarter, and Lyon led 59-31 at the break. Rex Blue and Jaydon Plunkette each drilled two three-pointers, and the Panthers were only outscored by a basket after Montgomery Johnston capped a six-point frame with a jumper at the halftime horn.
Perry ramped up his chase for the record with 16 points in the third, including two more makes from behind the arc. The Lyons triggered a running clock up 73-38 with 4:32 left in the third and led by 42 with a quarter to play.
Perry’s first of four fourth-quarter triples was of the circus-shot variety. After running down a long outlet pass deep in the right corner, he grabbed the ball and tossed it toward the rim all in one motion. When the shot found nothing but the bottom of the net, even he had to smile.
Perry capped his historic performance with a layup with 1:28 left and exited the game with the Lyons leading 112-56.
Lyon County broke the 100-point threshold for the first time this year to head to the postseason on an 11-game winning run. The top-seeded Lyons will face Livingston Central on Tuesday in the first round of the 5th District tournament.
Shoulders finished with 25, followed for the Lyons by Bray Kirk with 10.
For Dawson Springs, Blue finished with 21, Plunkette knocked down four threes on the way to 16, and Johnston had ten.
Lyon County 37 22 28 27 — 114
Dawson Springs 11 20 14 11 — 56
Lyon County (25-5) — Perry 61, Shoulders 25, Kirk 10, Ca. Collins 6, Burchett 4, Crawford 4, Breedlove 2
Dawson Springs (11-18) — Blue 21, Plunkette 16, Johnston 10, Bullock 6
