Prospect Spotlight: Deon Perry (2022)
The Mt. Carmel Cougars are preparing for the 2019-20 season with a newly renovated roster. They were able to make some key additions via transfers to help their returning standout point guard Deon Perry. Perry had an impressive freshman season…
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Continue ReadingThe Mt. Carmel Cougars are preparing for the 2019-20 season with a newly renovated roster. They were able to make some key additions via transfers to help their returning standout point guard Deon Perry. Perry had an impressive freshman season although the Cougars struggled as a team.
The 5-foot-8 floor general was one of two freshmen from last season who were recognized on the Honorable Mention list of the MIAA A Conference. As his sophomore season is on the horizon, Perry looks to build off what he has started at Mt. Carmel.
“Last year I feel like we struggled with our team chemistry,” Perry continued, “but this season we already have built on our chemistry by being in the gym seven days a week. We picked up a few pieces this summer and we’ve been winning the games we’re supposed to win in our leagues. As a group, we’re playing hard as possible and competing in practice.”
The MIAA isn’t a conference where you can win games with guy one standout player. You need to have 2-to-3 high level guys and role players around them that have ability to play beyond their limits in some scenarios. The two key additions include 2022 wing transfer from Perry Hall in Tobi Nnadozie and 6-foot-8 Turkish forward Koralp Turk. Both haven’t experienced what it’s like to play in the MIAA obviously, but Perry has been trying to prepare them to the best of his ability.
“Tobi and Koralp play hard every day and work very hard in practice,” Perry said as he spoke on his two new teammates. “Tobi is a guy that’s going to impact the game in a lot of ways and Koralp is a guy that as long as you feed him and get him going early, he’s going to play as hard as he can.”
As far as Perry’s mindset as a player, he has a mature approach. He didn’t seem to let last year’s success as a freshman get to his head and knows there’s still much more room to improve.
“I got my first year under my belt and realize that I can score the ball, but now I’m really working on things like getting other people open, talking more on defense and being more of a leader when it comes to the team,” Perry said.
I recently saw Perry play in the Mt. Carmel Fall League Championship game. The first thing about his game that immediately sticks out is how quick he is. Perry is a blur in the open floor and puts tremendous pressure on defenses to get back and locate their match ups. He does a nice job of reading situations as to when to be a scorer and a distributor. Not much from Perry is forced, and that’s good to see from a player entering his sophomore season at point guard.
The Cougars still have some ways to go before becoming a championship contender in a league as tough as the MIAA, but they have key pieces to build on this season and prepare to become a contender for the following years. That effort will be spearheaded by Perry.