‘We’re getting tougher.’ As he chases state scoring record, winning matters most to Lyon County phenom.

Lyon County junior guard Travis Perry doesn’t get caught up in chasing history even though he’s on course to run down a record some might have thought was unassailable.

Friday against No. 8 Mason County in the White, Greer & Maggard Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic, Perry scored 31 points, moving him past Flat Gap’s Charlie Osborne for second place among Kentucky boys’ high school basketball players on the state’s all-time career scoring list.

Perry, who has college offers from more than a dozen schools including Kentucky, has amassed 3,669 career points and counting, unofficially second only to Wayland legend Kelly “King” Coleman’s 4,337 in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s record book.

“It’s cool and all being the second-leading scorer in the state, but to me, it’s about going out there and winning the game,” Perry said. “And winning that game was way more important to me.”

Lyons rally from big deficit

Lyon County trailed Mason County by as many as 16 points in the first half and by as many as nine points early in the fourth quarter Friday. It wasn’t looking good.

Playing their fourth game in four days, Lyon County could have eased off and trekked back to Eddyville with a fourth-place plaque from this consolation contest. But the defending 2nd Region champs, who were No. 10 in the most recent Associated Press poll, didn’t drive all this way to quit.

“Travis wanted to win so bad. He was all over the floor, diving on people’s legs, grabbing, clawing and scratching,” Travis’ father and head coach Ryan Perry said. “I think those other guys saw how bad he wanted it and they decided they wanted it that bad. And all of a sudden, momentum started switching a little bit.”

Trailing 76-73 with under a minute left, Perry drew the attention of teammate Jack Reddick’s defender on a drive around the right elbow. As the defender sagged to him, Perry passed the ball out to Reddick who was standing well outside the three-point line on the right wing. Reddick’s beyond NBA-range three-pointer tied the game with 43 seconds left, ultimately sending it to the first of two overtimes. Lyon County (12-4) finally prevailed 92-85 over the Royals (10-2).

“We’re getting tougher,” Travis Perry said. “We got a lot of grittiness amongst this team. … We didn’t really start out hot in any game, honestly. But we’ve clawed back. I’m proud of how hard we played.”

Proving themselves against the best

Lyon County outdueled Covington Holy Cross and its prolific scorer, Jacob Meyer, 95-79, on Tuesday and defeated highly regarded Ballard and its three-star senior Gabe Sisk, 86-80, on Wednesday before running into eventual Classic champion Lexington Catholic in a 73-53 loss Thursday.

But the Lyons got most of what they wanted out of their holiday tournament stretch.

“I knew I had guys that were at a level that could play with anybody,” said Coach Perry, who noted his primary concern was experience after losing six seniors last year. He said he wondered, “‘Can we still compete at that level?’ And I think we definitely found that we can.”

Reddick averages nearly 20 points per game and had 18 against Mason, including two fourth-quarter threes. Brady Shoulders averages more than 17 points per game and had 23 points Friday. Like Perry, both are juniors.

“It’s fun getting to see those guys I’ve been playing with for forever go out there and have some (big) games and start to get some college looks,” Travis Perry said. “Hopefully, I’ll win a lot more games with them.”

Keeping the points chase in perspective

It will take 669 more points for Lyon’s King to eclipse Coleman on the KHSAA’s all-time list, a total that’s within reach for Perry as a junior if he remains healthy.

With the points chase comes a lot of attention. And Perry is quick to share credit.

“It’s really just a huge blessing,” Perry said. “The position I’ve been put in, the teammates I’ve had, the coaches I’ve had, everybody in the community’s support — everything we’ve had has gone into it. This just doesn’t happen with me just because I’m shooting the ball out there.”

He doesn’t see the chase as a burden or a distraction.

“People say it’s a lot of pressure, but really, it’s not pressure,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be out there playing a game, having so many eyes on us. That’s huge for our guys, little Lyon County, to go out there and have so many eyes on us.”

Coleman scored the bulk of his 4,337 points during his junior (1,174) and senior (1,734) years. Perry has been Lyon County’s leading scorer since he was in seventh grade.

He’s helped “little Lyon County” to four straight district titles and its second-ever region title last season. Its other Boys’ Sweet 16 trip came in 1951. They don’t plan on waiting another 71 years.

“We’re really preparing for a run again,” Coach Perry said. “Travis wants to win a state championship. All of our guys do. But because I live with Travis, I know he wants to win a state championship bad — like really bad.”

Travis Perry career points

Seventh grade: 638

Eighth grade: 852

Ninth grade: 709

10th grade: 990

11th grade: 480*

*Through Dec. 30.

Kentucky high school career points leaders

1. 4,337, Kelly Coleman (Wayland) 1953-56

2. 3,669, Travis Perry (Lyon County), 2019-*

3. 3,647, Charlie Osborne (Flat Gap) 1953-57

4. 3,628, Andrew Taylor (Corbin) 2013-2018**

5. 3,587, Camron Justice (Knott County Central) 2010-15

6. 3,567, Harry Todd (Earlington) 1955-58

7. 3,542, Chris Harrison (Tollesboro) 1987-91

8. 3,377, Jonathan Ferguson (Elliott County) 2003-09

9. 3,365, Charles Thomas (Harlan) 1990-95

10. 3,363, KyKy Tandy (University Heights) 2015-2019**

*Through Dec. 30. ** Based on reports but unofficial because their schools haven’t verified totals with the KHSAA. Thus these athletes don’t appear in the official record book.