Perry perfect again at Visit Mesa BB Challenge

December 22, 2022 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Perry's Koa Peat (10) puts up a shot in Pumas 60-51 win over Olympia WA Thursday night at the Visit Mesa BB Challenge. (Azpreps365 photo)

Perry's boys basketball kept its untarnished 2022-2023 record intact Thursday night. The Pumas rallied from 11 points down early in the second half, roaring back for a 60-51 triumph over Olympia, WA to help close out the 15th annual Visit Mesa Basketball Challenge at Mountain View High School.

Perry (15-0) won all four of its games in the tournament. Two other schools did not lose a game in the Campus of Champions Bracket - Corner Canyon UT (4-0) and Benet Academy IL (3-0). Adding the Pumas seven-game winning streak to finish last season (and win the 6A title) their winning streak is 22 games and counting.

Perry has been more than dominant in reeling off this season's 15 wins. The Pumas average margin of victory is 31 points. Only two wins have been by single digits. Their closest games were a 54-50 win earlier this week vs. Ironwood and Thursday's outcome. 

Perry's versatile bigmen - 6-foot-8 sophomore Koa Peat and 6-8 senior Cody Williams - scored 22 points and 17 points, respectively. They helped the Pumas control the boards (29-19) with Williams hauling down 10 rebounds and Peat nine. D'Andre Harrison chipped in 14 points. All three shot better than 50 percent from the field.

Olympia senior guard Parker Gerrits led all scorers with 23 points -- the only Olympia player to tally in double figures. Gerrits scored 17 of his points in the first half with five of his six baskets three-pointers. Gerrits did not score from the perimeter in the second half.