Cv’s Tom Perkes Is A Leader On A Bear Team Without Stars “You’ve Got To Be The Best,’ Says CV Captain

When Tom Perkes turns 19 he’ll follow his older brother Bob on a religious mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Central Valley High School basketball player already considers himself a man on a mission and proved it with 20 points in little more than a half during CV’s Tuesday night comeback against Rogers.

Perkes would like the Bears to duplicate what the CV football team did in the fall, win a state championship.

The goal is lofty in a sport where winning a title is difficult. Perkes remains undeterred.

“You’ve got to be the best,” said Perkes, who admits hating to lose. “To me winning is everything.”

Perkes is one of four veterans and is the captain and leading scorer on a team without stars.

He is also the first and tallest member of a family to play in high school. He credits the family’s wrestling background with helping him become the player he is.

Rex Perkes, who wrestled in high school, had planned to move his family to South America for a job the summer of 1996. That February, Bob had finished third in state as a 275-pound grappler.

“It was almost a done deal that they were moving,” said CV coach Rick Sloan. “Tom didn’t even factor into our program.”

Instead, the lanky 6-foot-4 junior-to-be practiced against his brother while awaiting the move.

“It helped me more blocking out a 6-foot, 280-pound wrestler,” said Tom. “They like to take cheap shots and throw you around.”

The move fell through and Tom was in the lineup for CV last year when the season began. He became a starter this year.

His brother, meanwhile, is nearing the end of the first-year of his Mormon mission to Russia.

“I’m just happy the deal fell through,” said Sloan. “It seems like every week he gets more confidence. He’s our leading scorer, gives us size and is a good defensive player. He also plays with emotion.”

Perkes deflects the praise.

“On this team there is no one person really to go to,” he said. “We run a five-man motion offense and I’ve been lucky to be open off the screens.”

There’s truth to his assertion. His 11.9 average, while leading the Bears, is just 10th best in the GSL.

Instead, nine of 10 Bear regulars have been in double figures at one time or another during the season. And the team is 9-1 as a result.

“Last year we had players who had to get their shots,” said Perkes. “This year we’re more worried about winning.”

The difference between last year, when he played timidly despite the sessions with his brother, and this season was a year of football, which he said toughened him up.

He turned out for the first time at the last minute and was a backup tight end for the state champs.

“I was signing up for classes and they announced a meeting for football,” he said. “I got a wild hair and it became a five-month ordeal.”

He said that he couldn’t block and defenders ran right over him.

“Of course, no one else blocked Colin White either,” Tom laughed.

Still, it was a chance to experience a state championship feeling that he hopes carries over in his basketball mission.

“Since last summer it’s been our whole goal,” Perkes said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo