Most high school basketball teams improve throughout the season. There are only two weeks of practice before the games start, so many squads are just starting to jell when the holiday tournaments roll around.
That is even more the case for Perspectives-Leadership, which has several key transfers in the starting lineup. Lead guards Morgan Travis (De La Salle) and Jayden Taylor (Fenger) joined the team over the summer.
“I told the team that we would be better towards the middle and end of the year,” Warriors coach Justin Rhymes said. “We have so many transfers and so many new faces. We needed to piece everything together and it would take a little time. But things are starting to click.”
Perspectives-Leadership opened some eyes with a win against Rockford Auburn last weekend. Saturday at the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic the Warriors smashed Lyons 63-38.
Lyons was considered a fringe Super 25 team in the preseason and features one of the top prospects in the sophomore class, 6-6 Grant Smith. The victory sends Perspectives into Monday’s quarterfinals against the winner of Glenbard North vs. Lemont.
The Warriors (9-3) jumped out to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter and extended it to 36-9 by halftime. There was a running clock in the fourth quarter.
Travis, who finished with 15 points, says his team was up early on Saturday morning watching film of Lyons.
“That paid off,” Travis said. “We just listened to what our coaches said. We’ve been clicking lately. Our defense is so much better.”
Taylor led Perspectives with 23 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. The junior was 9-for-14 shooting.
“[Travis] is a college guard,” Rhymes said. “His recruitment will get there. Obviously, he was in the Catholic League for three years so this has been an adjustment. He started off a little slow scoring but he has figured it out now.”
Senior Aiden Horton added 13 points for the Warriors, who had 11 steals and forced 16 turnovers from Lyons.
“Coach said to be aggressive on defense, that they would not like that,” Taylor said. “And it was true.”
Tristan Howard, a 6-7 senior, transferred to Perspectives from Oswego East last year. He didn’t play much as a junior but has become a major factor this season. He had nine points and six rebounds.
“[Howard] wasn’t ready last year,” Rhymes said. “Now he’s ready. He added some muscle. He’s always had the athleticism but his footwork has gotten better. He’s a huge x-factor for us.”
Smith scored 10 points in the running-clock fourth quarter and finished with 14. Nate Woods, a 6-5 junior, had 10 points and six rebounds for Lyons (8-3).
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