Iowa recruit Tony Perkins garnering Mr. Basketball discussion in Indiana

The season is 10 games old, Indianapolis' Lawrence North is undefeated and Iowa recruit Tony Perkins is the biggest reason.

Perkins is Mr. Fix-It for the Wildcats. Need an assist? There’s Perkins, late in regulation on Friday against Warren Central, driving and dishing to the corner to Shamar Avance for a tying 3-pointer. Need a bucket? How about 12 points in the third quarter to erase an 11-point deficit against the Warriors. A steal? A rebound? A dunk to get the crowd energized? The 6-4 Perkins is on call for all of that and more. 

“He gets rebounds, he gets assists, he gets points,” Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer said of the Iowa recruit. “He’s very secure at the foul line. He’s just a very solid player. He’s doing a good job staying out of foul trouble. We’re very happy with him.”

There is no reason Perkins should not be included in any discussion for Mr. Basketball. He is averaging right around 22 points per game and filling up the stat sheet wherever necessary. It is a little early to break down the Mr. Basketball candidates, but Perkins has put himself right in the mix.

“A lot of times Tony will put us on his back and we’ll just roll with him,” Avance said. “He’s tough.”

Lawrence North opens Marion County tournament play at home on Tuesday against North Central (5-5). The winner will play at Beech Grove or Decatur Central on Wednesday.