Who knew that a top prospect in the class of 2012 could have an impressive summer on the court, including dominant performances throughout the month of July, but still find a way to drop in many of the national rankings that are released by multiple networks across the Internet? One such player is Wichita, KS native Perry Ellis (Video, Pics).
Ellis won’t blow you away with mind numbing dunks and he won’t jump out of the gym to finish on a defender or block a shot. However, Ellis will blow you away with his high basketball IQ, his ability to score on the perimeter or in the post and his ability to finish with contact and get to the free throw line isn’t matched by many in the 2012 class. In short – Ellis just knows how to play basketball and he has shown for four years that he will put in the work to keep getting better and better on the court. All while maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade point average in the classroom.
Ellis didn’t play many games during the July evaluation period without at least one coach, if not multiple coaches, from Kansas, Kentucky, Kansas State, Duke, Memphis, Oklahoma or Wichita State sitting front and center to watch him. Ellis impressed at each and every event during the month, including averaging nearly 25 points per game at the adidas Invitational in Indianapolis.
Now Ellis is preparing for his senior year at Wichita Heights and his senior basketball season is right around the corner. With another great season at Heights Ellis could be the only player to be named the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, and more importantly to Ellis, his Heights team could bring home their fourth straight Kansas 6A state title.
With his senior season getting set to begin Ellis has already narrowed his list of schools to four (Link) and has already scheduled two in home visits with two of the three in state schools that remain on his list, Kansas and Kansas State. Ellis also hopes to schedule in home visits with Kentucky and hometown Wichita State in the coming weeks as well.
Then…..the countdown begins. According to his mother, Fonda Ellis, the announcement that many college basketball fans around the country have been waiting for isn’t all that far away from happening.
“It will be before the early signing period,” Fonda Ellis said about her son announcing where he will attend college. “Perry wants to sign in November before his senior season starts,” she added.
