Trent Perry’s career night helps No. 15 UCLA beat West Georgia

LOS ANGELES — Troy Perry’s words are drilled into his son’s mind. The constant uplifting, the reminders to lead with enthusiasm, to create an impact regardless of the situation.

“The game is supposed to be played, fun,” he would say, “like it was when we were kids.”

Trent Perry clings to that lesson, carrying an unbounded emotion to the court, hopping around the hardwood with a child-like exuberance. On Monday night, Pauley Pavilion was his playground. He started his first game at the college level, delivering career-highs with 17 points and nine assists as No. 15 UCLA beat West Georgia, 83-62.

He pumped both fists in glee after drilling a straightaway 3-pointer. He traded that for a subtle celebration after a nifty screen-assist on a Skyy Clark layup. He clapped in applause as Jamar Brown closed the game with an athletic move.

Perry disguises nothing. His highs are high, his lows are low. It’s black and white – clear to any observer if he’s slumping or surging. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, they might as well be attached to his limbs.

“He wants to play well so badly,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said on Oct. 28, emphasizing then that Perry has to learn “he’s not going to make the NBA in one night.”

Perry absorbs extensive self-pressure because his expectations are a result of the levels he once reached. A back-to-back CIF Open Division State champion at Harvard-Westlake and a McDonald’s All-American – a player of that stature doesn’t usually have to earn playing time with effort and defense, but as a freshman at UCLA, Perry did. He averaged 11.3 minutes, rarely initiating offense.

“It kind of did mess with my confidence a little bit,” Perry said on Oct. 3.

For a player who thrives on that confidence, the struggles compounded. But because he craved so deeply to find a rhythm, he maximized the time on the sidelines watching the veterans ahead of him. He listened to his father, who would remind him “no matter how many minutes you get on the floor, make the most out of it.”

After reflecting on his freshman year during that preseason press conference, he ensured that his confidence had been restored. He said he found that, the less he thinks while on the court, the freer he plays, and the more he can channel his unmatched hunger into positive production.

He settled into Monday’s game by facilitating and finding easy baskets. He hit Tyler Bilodeau, who led the Bruins with 21 points, for two early assists. He dished a perfect pocket pass to Eric Dailey Jr. for a corner 3-pointer. He scored on a fast-break and at the free-throw line.

As West Georgia hung with UCLA, Perry asserted himself offensively, gaining more comfort as the game progressed. He buried a 3-pointer on the first possession of the second half. He drove the lane and dished to Bilodeau, who drew an and-one. A few possessions later, he came around a screen and dribbled into a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

“I feel great,” Perry said, following the game. “It’s just being mentally prepared for the game, whether it’s coming off the bench, or starting like I did today.”

Perry said he didn’t find out he was starting until five minutes prior to tip-off, despite incumbent Donovan Dent being ruled out with a muscle strain multiple hours before. An interesting tactic from Cronin, but a player like Perry needs protection from overhyping himself.

Whether or not that was Cronin’s intention, Perry was primed to meet the moment.

Thrust into the lineup, the pressure was on. He heard his name called over the public address system as starting lineups were announced. He ran through the handshake line, showcasing his personal dap-up with walk-on Jack Seidler. But he never showed signs of wavering.

“Whether it’s nine minutes, 20 minutes, 37 minutes, you can only control your effort,” he said. “My mindset didn’t change.”

Perry is solidifying himself alongside Dent and Clark. With his growth, the Bruins’ backcourt can become a three-headed monster. It starts with Perry’s approach, his discipline to play freely regardless of the factors, to pick up on every instant and “turn it into positive energy” like his father always encouraged.

UP NEXT

UCLA plays former Pac-12 rival and fifth-ranked Arizona on Friday night as part of a doubleheader at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.