Travis Perry named 2022-23 Gatorade Kentucky Boys Basketball Player of the Year

Travis Perry is in for a potentially special week.

Not only is the four-star junior shooting guard taking his Lyon County Lyons to the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena for the second straight season, where he’s likely to break the state’s all-time scoring record, but now he’s being recognized as the best hooper out of Kentucky from the 2022-23 high school season.

On Wednesday, Gatorade announced that Perry has been named the 2022-23 Gatorade Kentucky Boys Basketball Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2 Perry led the No. 4 ranked Lyons to a 30-5 overall record this season where he put up averages of 32.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 4.7 steals per outing. He is the first Lyon County product to earn the honor.

Perry beat out a talented field of candidates, including North Laurel four-star senior guard and Kentucky Wildcats signee Reed Sheppard, who won the award during the 2021-22 season.

Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year goes to 2024 6’2 PG Travis Perry (@Travis_Perry11). Averaged 32.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.8 APG, & 4.7 SPG.

A big time player on the court & a great young man off the court. Congratulations Travis, you earned it! pic.twitter.com/eeeE68P5lh

— NextUpRecruits (@NextUpRecruits) March 15, 2023

Perry needs just 21 points in the Sweet 16 to surpass Kelly “King” Coleman’s all-time scoring record in the state of Kentucky. Perry is currently at 4,317 career points while Coleman finished with 4,337. The Lyons will begin its run in the 2023 Sweet 16 Tournament on Thursday afternoon with a 1:30 PM tipoff against Newport where Perry will look to break the record.

Below is more information on what Perry has accomplished off the court, courtesy of Gatorade’s press release.

A member of the Future Business Leaders of America and the BETA club, Perry has volunteered locally as part of multiple community beautification projects. He has also donated his time as a Little League coach and youth basketball referee. “Travis’ basketball IQ is off the charts,” said Matt Hargrove, head coach of Livingston Central High School. “He not only scores the basketball at an extremely high rate, but he is every bit as good of a passer as he is a scorer. That allows him to make his teammates and team that much better.”

Perry has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. He will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

Gatorade

Perry is considered the No. 89 overall recruit from the class of 2024, per the On3 Consensus. He holds scholarship offers from the likes of Kentucky, Indiana, Ole Miss, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Purdue, Stanford, Ohio State, Wake Forest, Missouri, Cincinnati, Iowa, and Nebraska, along with several others. Perry recently dropped 61 points during a mid-February game in front of UK head coach John Calipari, following that up with a visit to the program the following week.