Perkins Leaving Dunbar Changes Look on SWFL Class of 2011
August 18, 2009
FORT MYERS, FL-- The question of whether or not Darius Perkins, our top ranked prospect in SWFL in 2011 and one of the best players in the state in his class, would leave Dunbar High School and follow his father to Chaminade-Madonna Prep was left up in the air all summer while Perkins was busy on the summer circuit playing travel ball and making stops at some prestigious individual camps like the Nike Hoops Jamboree in St. Louis, Missouri.
When it was discussed, it was said by some that Darius is not fond of the eastern coast of Florida and seemed to be leaning towards staying with the Tigers. However, we got the call Tuesday afternoon from a school representative informing us that he would indeed be making the move to South Florida with his father and with that the Southwest Florida class of 2011 rankings instantly get shook up.
Darius' father, Tony Perkins, is a well-known figure on the state scene for some exposure events he has ran and for the contacts he has gained over the years on the basketball scene. His last coaching stint was as an assistant on Monsignor Pace High School's Class 3A State Championship team in 2008 when Darius was just a freshman at the school. He left Pace after that season and did not coach anywhere during 2009 while his son also left, transferring to Dunbar.
Just a year later, the younger Perkins was left with a decision of whether to transfer again to a program that will be unproven and in a very tough district with Monsignor Pace (Miami) and University School (Ft. Lauderdale), or stay at Dunbar on a team set to compete in the nationally renowned City of Palms Classic and with another Mid to High Major prospect at his side in David Paulk.
What the move means for Dunbar is that they will now rely more heavily Paulk, but will also need senior guards Troy Simmons and Joel German to step up and be more consistent. German loves the game, but his focus is going to undoubtedly be on football as he is a mid to high major wide receiver. That means, as it usually does with football guys making the transition to basketball season, German will most likely not be at full form till the second half of the season and so more of the load will go to Simmons and the underclassmen. Simmons is a talented point guard with good quickness, handles, and passing ability but he has to show he can keep himself and the team under control at all times by making the right decisions at the right times while not trying to do too much. Paulk, will be the motor behind any movement the team will make and the good news for Tiger fans is that he played this travel season with the passion and high energy level he had been missing for most of last year. When he plays with high energy, combined with his athleticism, there aren't many guys who can keep up or really slow him down on the glass or around the basket.
What the move means for the area is that the 2011 class rankings, which were due to be updated soon anyway, will have a new #1 for sure now, as Darius' current spot at the top will be vacated. The leaders to slide into the position are Kasey Wilson of North Port HS (currently #2), Evin Graham of Ft Myers HS (currently #3), and Jernell Hughes of Immokalee HS (currently #4). Wilson is a guy who is receiving a lot of mid to high major division 1 recruiting interest at this point and currently has offers from Virginia Commonwealth University and Ohio University, and is also receiving a lot of interest from the likes of Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Syracuse, Oklahoma State, and Ohio State. Graham is also receiving some division 1 interest from low to mid level schools and has an offer already from The Citadel and could be close to receiving an offer from Florida Atlantic University. Both are very talented prospects with a ton of upside. Graham had a fabulous spring travel season, proving he can not only hold his own against the top guards in the state but excel for sure. Graham's SWFL Select team and Wilson's Florida Elite team faced off in the Disney Easter Classic Championship in the spring and although FL Elite took the win in overtime, Graham dominated and had 30 points in the loss, including the game-tying three pointer to send the contest into the extra period. Hughes also had a very successful spring travel season, playing alongside Graham on the SWFL Select squad. Hughes is an ultra bouncy wing guard that can score in bunches and impresses on a regular basis with his athleticism. The key with who will take the top spot in 2011 will probably come down to a very small margin but no matter how it shapes up there is no doubt in our mind that these 3 and a bunch more in their class are very talented and are definitely worth going to see in person for the fans out there.
Site-specific editorial/photos ©2008 SWFL Hoops, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is an unofficial and independently operated source of news and information not affiliated with any school or team. Terms and Conditions Myspace Facebook YouTube Advertise with Us Contact Us About Us
