Perry Talks About His Pledge to Clemson
His assistant coaches were telling him over and over to just go see Sam Perry, a 6-foot-5, 185 pound wing player in action. When Clemson head coach Oliver Purnell did, he was sold on the Woodmont HS (SC) star, offering him on the spot. It didn’t take long for Perry to say yes to the Tiger program.
Perry, who said he was just waiting for the new ACC coach to show up and evaluate him, knew what his answer would be if a scholarship was offered. His reasoning was threefold.
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“First and foremost, it’s the ACC. Second of all it’s 35 minutes from home. And third it’s Oliver Purnell,” Perry said.
Recruits have raved about Purnell and his interaction as a players’ coach. Perry is no different. He believes the new coaching staff is a mix of discipline and knowledge.
“He’s a straight forward guy who is professional,” Perry said. “He knows the game so well. I just get a good vibe from him I just get chill bumps. He knows what it takes to turn it around.”
Clemson basketball has had their fair share losses on the basketball hired Purnell in the off-season and are expecting big things in return. Perry said that was one of the reasons why he chose the school.
“It’s a breath of fresh air there. Everybody is talking about it around (South Carolina). It’s a nice change,” Perry said. “People could care less about Clemson basketball in the past but now that Coach Purnell is there, it’s the talk of the town.”
With a verbal commitment out of the way, the senior said he’s ready for another task: getting back on the hardwood. He’ll captain the Woodmont squad, a 2-A school in the Palmetto state.
“The monkey is off of my back now,” Perry said. “I feel pretty good about it. It’s a sigh of relief. I’m just ready to get focused here at school and try to win a state championship."