When the high school basketball season started, the common thought about Travis Perry’s chase of ‘King’ Kelly Coleman for the Kentucky high school scoring record was generally ‘how close can he get by the end of the season?’ Thirty-five games later, that appears to be no longer the question in regards to this moment in Kentucky basketball history.
The Lyon County junior has had a spectacular season and now has the chance to set arguably Kentucky high school sports’ biggest record on its biggest stage. Lyon County will take on Newport Thursday afternoon at Rupp Arena in the UK HealthCare Sweet 16 needing just 20 points to tie and 21 points to break a record that has stood for 67 years.
Perry averaged 32.2 points per contest this season. He began the year at 3,189 points and now has 4,317, with Coleman’s 4,337 in his sights.
While nothing is a certainty when it comes to high school sports, it would seem at least a strong possibility that the state will have a new all-time scoring leader next Thursday afternoon.
With Perry 20 points away from tying the record, let’s review this season for the Lyon County standout.
Perry has not scored less than 20 points in a game this season. The only time he scored just 20 was in a blowout win over Trigg County in the 5th District championship game. His next lowest output was 21 points in a loss to UHA in the All A Classic. Even that total against Newport Thursday would give him the record.
Twenty-two times this season, Travis Perry has scored at least 30 points in a game. So the odds of the record falling Thursday appear to be pretty strong.
Should the Lyons play two, three, or even four games in Lexington next week, well, then this conversation becomes mute.
So, for those making the trip to Lexington next week, or even if you are just following along from a distance, be ready to enjoy and celebrate a little history, after all, we may not see it again for another 67 years.
