Travis Perry schedules Kentucky visit for Big Blue Madness

Kentucky high school basketball’s all-time leader in points scored is returning to Rupp Arena — the same place he broke the record back in March. Lyon County star Travis Perry has scheduled a visit to Kentucky for Big Blue Madness, he told KSR on Sunday.

It’ll be his first time back on campus since he moved past Kelly “King” Coleman on the all-time scoring list, wrapping up his junior season in the KHSAA Sweet 16 at Rupp with 4,359 career points. Coleman’s previous record was 4,337 points from 1953-56, a mark that stood for nearly 70 years.

He’s got the record and run to Rupp taken care of with a year to go in his high school career. Next up is a state championship push. But he’s also ramping up his recruitment, hoping to narrow things down and come up with a final decision before long.

Part of that process includes a trip to Lexington.

“I think I’m going to Big Blue Madness. I’m not really sure what I’m going to do there yet either way (official or unofficial visit),” he told KSR. “It’s close enough, it can be either one. It should be fun, it’s always a great atmosphere.”

What is he looking to see on his visit? An old friend in Reed Sheppard, for one. The former North Laurel standout is now a blue-chip freshman for John Calipari and the Wildcats. He’s looking forward to seeing a former in-state competitor out there representing the Commonwealth on the big stage.

“Get to be around a lot of guys you know — it’ll be fun to see Reed out there, competing and having fun,” Perry said. “He’s a guy who does it the right way, so it’s fun to see that, getting up there on campus and having a little bit of fun.”

Perry is rated as the No. 83 overall prospect, No. 12 point guard and No. 1 player in Kentucky in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. Will the Wildcats ramp things up and push for a commitment with the Lyon County standout?

“It’s going good, had a few good phone calls with John Calipari and Orlando Antigua lately, touching base and talking about their trips,” he said. “One thing Coach Cal says is you have got have good guards who can make plays for themselves and others to win. That’s what they’ve got right now and that’s something they’re pitching to me.”

But it’s not just Kentucky. Ole Miss is right in the thick of things, as is Purdue.

“Coach (Chris) Beard has been pushing really hard. He’s a really good recruiter, a really good guy,” Perry said of the Rebels. “He does it the right way, has a lot of good things about his program. And he wins. That’s something he’s not expected to lay off of, he’s going to keep winning and keep going, improving the program. That is big.”

“Still talking to Coach (Matt) Painter, Coach (Paul) Lusk, all those guys all the time,” he added of the Boilermakers. “I’m just kind of seeing how I fit in their system and continuing to help him win.”

And he’s going to schedule a few other visits, too, namely Michigan, Missouri, Cincinnati and Western Kentucky. “A few other places here and there,” he said. “Just getting around to those places.”

It’s all to inch closer toward a final decision, one that isn’t too far away. He’s not ready to nail down a timeline quite yet, but he believes clarity will come at the conclusion of his visit schedule.

“Not really (a timeline), just kind of general,” he said. “I’m just going to take a few visits and I’ll see where I need to go.”

He doesn’t want to say one school is prioritizing him over another — they’re all showing love “every single day.” It’s a recruiting process he is enjoying and soaking in as things start coming to a close.

“They’re showing me how they need me in their program, how I can succeed and how bad they want me. That’s something that’s big, being wanted there and fitting into a system,” Perry told KSR. “There are a lot of schools showing that right now. … It’s been busy, but fun. Going to a lot of new places and see a lot of cool stuff, meet a lot of cool people. The coaches have been calling and everybody has been reaching out, so it’s been fun to grow that process and get close to making a decision.”

What will be the deciding factor in his recruitment? How will he choose his next stop?

“Obviously the fit and relationship with the coaches,” he said. “One of the big things for me is seeing how I can impact the system and how it can help me, I don’t want it to be one way. I want it to be where I can help them win and they can improve me as a player. Somewhere that makes me a better player and person, just finding the right fit.”

Perry is taking another visit to Lexington to find out if Kentucky is the right fit.