Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton’s players celebrate a made 3-pointer during a boys basketball game against Pleasant Ridge on Feb. 26 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
The Perry-Lecompton boys basketball team found itself trailing by one point as the Kaws approached the midpoint of the first quarter in the team’s sub-state opening game against Pleasant Ridge.
But on the next possession, junior guard Easton Graves drove into the teeth of the defense before dumping the ball off to junior guard Kayden Baker for a go-ahead layup.
The Kaws never looked back as they rolled to a 69-33 home victory over the Rams.
Senior guard Dayton Tucker gave a simple response to how the team viewed its performance on Thursday night.
“It just showed what we can do,” Tucker said.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton’s Colby Krein attempts a 3-point shot during a boys basketball game against Pleasant Ridge on Feb. 26 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
That was the message following his team’s 36-point victory in a game that the Kaws dominated for three and a half quarters.
After Perry-Lecompton reclaimed that 5-4 lead in the early going, the team took over the rest of the first half on the way to a 37-10 lead heading into the break and maintained its moment through the finish.
Senior guard Colby Krein led the way with a 22-point performance, a scoring effort he got started with a 3-pointer from the wing on his team’s first possession.
Junior guard Houston Habiger added a triple of his own, followed by a mid-range jumper. After Krein nailed another 3-pointer, Pleasant Ridge finally responded with a 3-pointer of its own. But a Habiger jumper from just outside the low post and Tucker 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the frame gave the Kaws a 16-7 advantage after one quarter of play.
Krein said establishing that early lead was critical.
“I think it is really important to start out quick and kinda put your name out there,” Krein said. “I think this was a great way to do it. We came in hot, we came in ready. We proved a point tonight.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton’s Easton Graves dribbles the ball up the court during a boys basketball game against Pleasant Ridge on Feb. 26 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Perry continued to succeed in key moments during the second quarter as the Kaws extended their lead.
On the opening play of the second quarter, Tucker had his shot blocked on the offensive end of the floor. But he did not waste any time hanging his head, instead taking off to track down the ball and steal it right back for his team. Shortly after that, Easton Graves found senior forward Kaleb Confer for the easy bucket underneath the basket. Krein made another 3-pointer a few seconds later to increase the margin to 21-7.
After that, Graves started a decisive run with steals on consecutive possessions. Perry turned that defense into offense as the team increased its lead to 24-7 and forced a Pleasant Ridge timeout. When play resumed, Graves scored another basket to push the Kaws’ run to 13 unanswered points.
Perry-Lecompton head coach Matt Simmons credited the team’s balance across the floor for allowing that scoring run to take place.
“It was a lot of fun,” Simmons said. “I think that everyone playing well was important. Seniors stepped up, leaders stepped up. Our shooters hit shots, our rebounders rebounded. It was just a total team effort.”
Late in the second quarter, Tucker made an inside connection with Kayden Baker while Habiger responded to a Pleasant Ridge triple from Nathan Layton with a jumper and consecutive floaters. In an imitation of Tucker’s end-of-quarter scoring from the first quarter, Krein replicated that same result of nailing a triple with the clock dwindling, sending Perry into the locker room with a 27-point advantage.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton’s Houston Habiger attempts a 3-point shot during a boys basketball game against Pleasant Ridge on Feb. 26 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Pleasant Ridge briefly came alive on offensive to begin the third quarter as Jaxson Ruebhausen and Dawson Hockett combined for two quick baskets to trim the score to 37-14.
However, Perry quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback for the visiting Rams.
Graves, who recently became the program’s all-time assists leader, showed off his playmaking abilities as he got the Kaws offense going again in the second half. He found Krein for a 3-pointer to push the team’s lead to 44-14. Graves followed up with a score of his own by driving to the basket, followed by a rebound and another assist when he dished the ball to Tucker in transition. Later, he found Baker for another assist.
Simmons stressed how much he trusts his point guard and how important Graves is to the success of this team’s dynamic offense.
“He’s in complete control the whole time and you know the point guard is the extension of the head coach and we are just on the same page at all times,” Simmons said. “I completely trust him out there, that he makes the right decision the whole time. He’s been a joy to coach.”
Graves tallied seven points, but his influence went well beyond that. Confer attributed a large portion of his own scoring to Graves’ playmaking.
“He’s huge, he puts us in position all the time,” Confer said. “I think that most of my points come from him, he’s elite. As a junior, it’s not normal for him to be playing at this level.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton’s Dayton Tucker attempts a 3-point shot during a boys basketball game against Pleasant Ridge on Feb. 26 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
In addition to Krein’s game-high 22 points, Habiger contributed 14 points, as well a crucial block in the third quarter. Tucker finished with seven points while Baker added another six points, all scored close to the basket. Confer added another four points.
In the second half, when the lead was over 30, a number of bench players were given considerable playing time.
“Our bench is huge,” Tucker said. “We loved to see them out there and getting some buckets.”
Senior guard Ozzie Eardley hit a triple in the fourth quarter, senior center Jacob O’Trimble scored near the basket late and junior forward Thomas Marcellino Jr. knocked down a 3-pointer and a free throw down the stretch.
Despite contributions from Chase Watkins, Hudson Hockett, and Isaiah Kime, Pleasant Ridge was never able to reduce the deficit to the point where Perry felt pressured in this one.
A win for Perry meant the team would survive and advance in the postseason. But the margin of the victory also gave the Kaws an additional boost.
“It was huge,” Tucker said. “It just showed what we can do and if we work together and play together, it just really shows how tough we can be.
“It is gonna show us what we can do and prove to us and to other teams that we aren’t messing around and we are tough.”
Simmons agreed with that assessment, also adding that his group is starting to become comfortable with who they are.
“I think it just catapults us into some confidence,” Simmons said. “We are doing the right thing, sharing the ball, and everyone is fitting into their role really well and being coachable. It kinda gives us an edge going into the next game.”
Perry-Lecompton (17-7) will begin to prepare for the team’s sub-state semifinal game against Jefferson West (15-8) on March 3 at home. This will be a rubber match between these two squads. Jefferson West took the first match-up, winning 65-60 on Jan. 5 on the Kaws’ home court. But Perry got revenge with a 51-49 victory on Jan. 22 in a tournament clash at Valley Falls.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton’s Easton Graves flips a pass to teammate Kayden Baker while floating the air during a boys basketball game against Pleasant Ridge on Feb. 26 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton’s Kayden Baker splits two defenders and goes up for a layup attempt during a boys basketball game against Pleasant Ridge on Feb. 26 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton’s student section celebrates a big play during a boys basketball game against Pleasant Ridge on Feb. 26 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
