Wednesday night, Marque Perry took to the floor on his home court for what was his last collegiate basketball game ever. Perry began his career as a Billiken in the 1999-2000 season. He came from Chicago to help lead a small Jesuit school in St. Louis to the promised land. He did that and more.
Perry made an immediate impact in his freshman season. He averaged six points and started to become acclimated to what it took to play Division I basketball.
“My first year I was really quiet. I listened to Justin Love, Dave Ferguson and John Reddon and learned a lot about how to play. They taught me that you have to come to practice every day ready to work hard so that you can get better,” Perry said.
Perry was just hitting his stride late in his freshman season when a dislocated ankle snapped any momentum that he had built. The injury was gruesome and as medical staff carried him off the court in Louisville, one could only wonder if his basketball career was over.
“When I got hurt it was my first injury ever. I wondered if I would ever play basketball again. As I got better I just felt lucky to be able to play again. I definitely appreciated the opportunity I have more after I got hurt. It showed me how much I love to play basketball,” Perry said.
In his second season as a Billiken, Perry answered any questions that might have been lingering about his injury. He took the reigns of the Billikens and, along with Maurice Jeffers, he led the Bills both on and off the court. The Billikens struggled through their second season under Lorenzo Romar and failed to make post-season play. However, Perry’s maturation process continued, as he had to learn to deal with defeat.
“One of the things I learned was that you have to keep your head up after losses. When you are a leader, the other guys look to you and you have to keep high spirits after the games. I’ve tried to show the younger guys that you have to work harder after losses so that you and the team get better,” Perry said.
In his third season with the Billikens, Perry took over the leadership roles that had been filled by Love and Jeffers in the previous years. He responded by posting his best numbers to date and averaged 14 points and three rebounds a game. His on the court accomplishments earned him a spot on the All-Conference USA second team. It was in this, his junior season, that Perry established himself as one of the rising stars of Conference USA.
By the time this season rolled around, Perry wasn’t going to sneak up on anyone. He became the focus of every defense that the Billikens went up against. However, it didn’t matter, as he posted better numbers than the year before. This year Perry averaged 18 points, five rebounds and three assists a game. His accolades piled up as he was selected to the first team All-Conference team this season. Dick Vitale put him on his All-Conference team and The Sporting News named him national player of the week for the week when the Billikens’ upset then-No. 2 Louisville. Perry has become the Billikens star, but it is time for that star to move on.
There is talk of whether or not he will get drafted into the NBA. The odds of that happening greatly increased in recent weeks. Perry was invited to the Port Smith Camp April 9 through April 12 in Virginia. The Port Smith Camp is a scouting camp that every NBA team attends, and it showcases the top 52 seniors in the country. The group of players is hand-picked by basketball experts and pro scouts. Perry is one of the chosen few.
When asked about the NBA, Perry said, “In my eyes, I could play at the NBA level. I’m quick enough and strong enough to play there and I have gotten better every year that I have played, just like the players in the NBA do. If I can just get to that level I will get better and learn more to become an even better player.”
But perhaps the best thing about Marque Perry is that his options are open regardless of what happens in the June draft. Perry is going to graduate in May with a B.A. in criminal justice and hopes to go to law school if no NBA teams come calling. Attorneys across the country better hope that the NBA drafts Perry, because his work ethic and desire to win would make him very dangerous in the courtroom. Even the toughest of court cases would be hard pressed to create a more stressful environment than a college basketball game. And if anyone has questions as to how Marque Perry responds to pressure, just ask Louisville coach Rick Pitino.
Perry’s days in a Billiken jersey are over, but no matter where his skills take him, he will always be a Billiken at heart.
