Growing up in Kentucky, Travis Perry has seen Big Blue Madness and knows what it means to the area. It’s a celebration of the start of a six-month holiday better known as UK basketball season, Rupp Arena selling out in minutes with BBN desperate to get its first look at the Wildcats year after year after year. There is nothing like it anywhere in college basketball.
That was Perry’s experience as a kid, just a fan living and breathing it like the rest of us. Now he’s a Wildcat himself, ready to make his debut in blue and white after dreaming of this day his entire life.
How is the state’s all-time leading scorer at the high school level handling the full-circle emotions? Well, he didn’t sleep last night, if that tells you anything.
“It’s super exciting. It’s something everyone in this state is tuned in for. For us — especially all of the guys who have never been a part of it, really — that’s super exciting,” Perry said in an appearance on KSR this morning. “… That’s really cool. It’s something you watch forever and maybe think you’ll never be able to be a part of it, now you get to come out and do it tonight. It’s really cool, really exciting. I will say, I had a lot of trouble sleeping last night just being so excited for it. It’s gonna be awesome.”
Kentuckians know plenty about Travis Perry and have watched him grow up and emerge as a KHSAA legend, shattering the scoring record his senior year at Lyon County. The same can be said about Trent Noah, who became a legend in his own right at Harlan County, as well.
Elsewhere, though, it’s nothing but new faces. Perry is excited for Big Blue Nation to finally meet those guys as they live out their own dreams as Wildcats.
What can those fans expect?
“I think you’re going to see a lot. Obviously, the shooting is high-caliber. Our 3-point contest tonight, there’s six guys in it, and it could go any way. Everybody can shoot it, they could go off and not miss a shot. That’s something I think is really exciting,” Perry said. “We’re gonna play fast and shoot a lot of threes. The main thing I love about our team is how competitive we are. Every day in practice, whether we’re doing 5-on-0 or 5-on-5, whatever it is, it’s so competitive.
“It gets salty at times, and that’s something that you need. We really go hard, we have intense practices, but the competitiveness is something that is on a whole other level of anything I’ve been a part of.”
Maybe above all else, everyone on the team can play and produce. It’s not a top-heavy group leaning on star talent, it’s one loaded with guys who understand and embrace their respective roles. There are 12 different puzzle pieces and they all fit in their own unique way.
There isn’t a drop-off and that’s something Perry isn’t used to seeing at any level.
“I would definitely agree with that. I think it’s kind of a unique dynamic that we have, obviously. The transfer portal has made it so different. The nine guys that we got from the transfer portal were one, two or three on their last team, so they’ve led in that role. And then our freshmen have learned to lead under them. We have a solid 12 guys that can come in and do different roles. I think Coach Pope did a great job assembling a team that has common strengths, but also can cover up each other’s weaknesses. That’s something that will really be evident on the floor with every lineup.”
We’ll see it for ourselves tonight when Big Blue Madness tips off at 7 PM ET inside Rupp Arena. Hopefully Perry can catch a nap before things get rolling — he’s got a 3-point contest to win.
