Perry's boys basketball experienced smooth sailing in its first four games this season, but rough waters threatened to deal the Pumas their first loss of the season on Wednesday night. Winning each of its four games prior by at least 10 points and double that or more in the other three often lets complacency in.

Not willing to lose its first game, Perry turned around a third-quarter deficit fairly quickly and managed to hold off upset-minded Brophy, 59-56, in a 6A Premier Region game at Brophy.

A 13-1 run over the final five minutes of the third period flipped an eight-point Brophy lead to a 42-38 Perry edge with a quarter to play. Perry (5-0, 3-1 region) was paced offensively by its consistent trio of Dylan Anderson, Cody Williams and Christian Tucker. They tallied 17 points, 16 and 16, respectively. Anderson, a 7-foot junior forward, easily turned in a double-double adding at least a teens total of rebounds. Anderson scored 11 of his 17 in the first half. Williams nine in the first half and seven in the second. Tucker scored the first four points of the game, but responded with 12 points after intermission.

"This game was good for us," Perry coach Sammy Duane Jr. said. "I liked how our guys responded in the third quarter with a that big run. We hadn't played in eight days and I didn't know how that would affect us. It was more impressive because we haven't been defended as well as we were tonight by Brophy. A lot of our other games offense has come too easy."

Anderson, who much was expected of when he joined Perry's varsity as a freshman two years ago, appears to have blossomed. He is a force on the boards, a good perimeter shooter and inside is stronger as he's matured.

"He's more aggressive this year then he has been," Duane Jr. said. "He's very steady for us."

Brophy (3-3, 2-2) used balanced scoring and solid defense to take a 31-27 lead at halftime. Baskets early in the third period from Miles Nash, JP Mussellman and Arman Madi gave the Broncos their biggest lead (37-29). Madi, a sophomore led the Broncos with 15 points and Nash checked in with 13. 

Brophy didn't fade in the final period. The Broncos stayed within striking distance in the fourth quarter, cutting Perry's lead to one a couple times. Nash's layup with 1:03 left made it 54-53. Four free throws by Tucker in the final 34 seconds were enough to keep Perry in front. The Pumas did miss three others in that span that would have put the game away instead of Brophy having a chance at 57-55 with 4 seconds left.

"We couldn't put the ball in the hole for a while there in the third quarter," Brophy coach Matt Hooten said. "They beat us on the offensive boards and to a lot of the loose balls. Their run didn't finish us, and I was glad to see us take it within a possession at the end."

Four of Brophy's six games have been decided by five points or less and it is 1-3 in those contests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perry (4-0, 2-0) vs. Brophy (3-2, 1-1)