The Perry High School Lady Pumas are making a strong contention to battle their way into the AIA Open Division Playoffs. Currently, the Lady Pumas have a 12-2 record and are coming off a huge championship win at the Joe Smith Bracket at the Nike Tournament of Champions.
The Lady Pumas will put their 4-game win streak on the line when they travel to the Title IX Classic in Washington D.C. The Title IX Classic is one of the most prestigious girl's basketball tournaments in the country. The Lady Pumas have been placed in the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Bracket with high-caliber opponents like Bergtraum (NY), Lackey (MD), Coolidge (D.C.), Banneker Academy (NY), Flowers (MD), Paul Laurence Dunbar (KY), and Centreville (VA).
In an impressive run in their Nike TOC bracket, the Lady Pumas squeezed past an upset-minded Anchorage Christian (AK) squad in the opening round. The opening win is what sparked a three-game win streak en route to a Championship Game appearance against a solid Folsom (CA) team.
Folsom beat a solid Xavier Prep team a few nights before, however the Lady Pumas handled their business and won the Joe Smith Bracket, 51-44. Perry was the only Arizona team to win their bracket at the Nike TOC. A huge congratulations to Coach Curtis, his staff and players on a job well done.
Here are my thoughts on how Perry could possibly win it all in February . . . Perry has the strongest front court in the AIA, behind 6-foot-4 senior Lauren Crocker and 6-foot-2 senior Khamil Pierre. If their front court can stay out of foul trouble and control the paint, they will be very difficult to beat. The ultimate factor for a deep playoff run will be strong performances from Jayla Cal, Sage Henry, Ella Murakami, and Hannah Strauss. If the guards can control the tempo on both ends of the floor, force opposing guards to take bad shots and make poor decisions, the Lady Pumas have a great chance to win it all.
