Prospect Spotlight: Dalton Perkins (2018)
We are on the tail end of summer basketball and around the country college prospects at all levels are working on their game and working toward earning an opportunity to play at the next level. Prep Hoops Kentucky puts a spotlight on prospects around the Bluegrass State.
Dalton Perkins is a 6’9 F/C from 10th Region blue-blood Mason County High School. Perkins assisted in leading the Royals to a 17-16 overall record and a 39th District tournament championship as a junior last season.
“My junior season was (in my opinion), a little up and down,” said Dalton. “(As a team) we were young and had a lot of injuries. I battled through some injuries myself and had to miss 10 games. Up until I got hurt I was playing probably the best I ever had and was averaging close to a double-double, and about 5 blocks a game.” After Perkins injury, he says he was slow to adjust back to the game and get back into a grove. “By the time the tournament came around I was finally starting to play good again. Unfortunately we didn’t quite accomplish our goals as a team, and I didn’t quite accomplish goals that I set for myself – but all-in-all it was a good season.”
Perkins finished the 2017 season averaging 5 points and and 6 rebounds per game. His defensive presence in the post cannot be understated. Dalton has the ability to make shooters and drivers think twice about open looks in the paint. “My role on our team is to be the defensive presence and scorer when need to be.” Next season, Perkins says that he’s projected to have a number of different roles with the Royals. “This coming year Coach Biggs wants me to be able to play the wing a little and be one of the main scorers on the team – which is a new role for me, but something I’ve been working on with him and my other coaches.”
Perkins has been working on taking more jumpers and taking the ball off the dribble this summer to add more depth to his game. “The mental game is something I’ve really been trying to work on this off-season, as well. Having confidence in myself and my own abilities. I can hit a jumper and even 3’s consistently – I’ve proved it in practice and even in some games, now I just have to believe in myself and show others that I can do it.”
A number of schools have shown interest in Perkins. “Asbury and Kentucky Wesleyan have reached out to me and Georgetown and Pikeville have invited me to their elite camps. I talk to Coach Polykoff at Earlham College quite often and he has offered me a spot on their roster. Morehead State had also showed a little interest and so has Elon University.”
Dalton Perkins spent this summer playing with Hoop Dreams here in Kentucky.