FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas 2018 basketball pledge and Thomasville, Ga., standout Reggie Perry (6-10, 225) will be involved win a do-or-die game Thursday night that will either end his junior season or advance the Bulldogs to the Elite Eight of the Class 2A state tournament.
Thomasville (19-8) starts four juniors and sophomores and will face experienced Chattanooga (25-1) - a team that will be playing at home and starts five seniors.
Perry, ranked as the 25ht-best player nationally in the 2018 class by ESPN, had 21 points, 16 rebounds, 6 blocks and 5 assists in a 59-41 opening round win over Bleckley County last Saturday.
“The season has been going very well,” Perry said Wednesday night after watching Arkansas beat Texas A&M on television. “We have had our ups and downs, but have overcome many obstacles. Now we are just taking it one game at a time in the playoffs.”
Perry, an Arkansas Hawks teammate of fellow 2018 Razorback commits Isaiah Joe, Desi Sills and Ethan Henderson, chose the Razorbacks over Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Miami and others.
He announced his commitment to Arkansas via on Aug. 17 via Twitter that was no doubt music to the ears of Razorback basketball fans.
“Many would ask ‘Why are you committing so early?’ I say you have to do what is pre-ordained for your life. Some will ask ‘Don’t you want to wait for Kentucky or a Duke or a Kansas to call you?’ I say that the University of Arkansas is MY Kentucky, Duke or Kansas.
“…The connection is undeniable and unquestioned. Everything I have ever wanted and needed is at the University of Arkansas.
“I love my family. I love my Thomasville family and the Arkansas Hawks family and to be able to walk into the accepting arms of the Arkansas Razorback family not only seemed right, but it seems like it was blessed and planned by God.”
Thomasville head coach Ben Tillman says his team is happy to be in this spot in the playoffs.
“We’re just excited to be in this next round,” Tillman said. “It’s a fourth season and every game you get is a blessing. We’re taking every game as a challenge and as a step to trying to get better.”
Tillman believes the game will be about how his team - who has five players over 6-5 that see significant action - plays defense.
“We have a couple of things planned to try to mix stuff up for them,” Tillman told there Thomasville Time-Enterprise. “They can shoot the basketball. Our job is to just play good defense just like we’ve done all year. We’re not going to change anything that we do. We’re going to continue being who we are.”
Perry has averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks this season.
“He just does everything that you could ask of a young man on the basketball court,” Tillman said. “He is just a great. great basketball player with a wonderful future ahead of him.”
Perry has gotten a chance to see the Razorbacks (21-7, 10-5) during their recent four-game winning streak.
“They have been playing really well,” Perry said. “I think they have played their way unto the tournament and have a chance to do some damage.”