CONCORD — Three minutes into Clayton Valley’s 53-44 win over Northgate on Thursday, point guard Elijah Perryman knocked down what looked like a routine 3-pointer from the left wing. It’s a shot the senior has hit multiple times during his three-year career on varsity.
But when he made this shot, Perryman let out a burst of emotions.
The Utah State commit stomped the floor, pumped his fist into the air and screamed as if he hit a game winner. For Perryman, that shot was the biggest of the season to this point.
The first-quarter 3-pointer was his first made basket since fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot two months ago in a loss to Destiny Christian at the Gridley Invitational Basketball Tournament. Perryman missed 19 games for Clayton Valley – a stretch in which the team went 10-9.
For a moment this season, there was some uncertainty as to whether Perryman would step on the floor for Clayton Valley again. But after scoring a team-high 13 points on senior night to lead the Ugly Eagles to a win, there’s hope that Clayton Valley’s Division I point guard can add a much needed boost with the postseason right around the corner.
“It felt good to be back on the court,” Perryman said. “It’s urgent when you can’t play, but it felt good.
“When I got injured, I had something to prove. I wanted my family to come see me play on senior night and I’m just glad they could.”
But for as happy Perryman’s teammates and Clayton Valley fans were that their star point guard returned, there is still no guarantee he will be a permanent rotation player going forward. Perryman logged about 12 minutes of court time on Thursday night as he was put on a minutes restriction in his first game back.
“He’s got to keep practicing, and for sure a minutes restriction if he does play moving forward,” Clayton Valley coach Frank Allocco Jr. said. “The most important thing for him is his college career at this point.”
Clayton Valley was in control for most of Thursday’s game, fueled by Perryman’s return. While he didn’t make every shot he took, his presence alone made Northgate’s defense account for him at all times.
Perryman understandably looked rusty in his first few minutes on the floor. But when he hit his first shot, flashes of the old Perryman started to show.
Later in the first half, Perryman had a strong drive to the rim that ended in an and-1 lay in.
He opened the third quarter hitting two 3s. After hitting the second 3-pointer, Perryman blew kisses to his nephew and family members sitting behind Clayton Valley’s bench.
While Perryman wasn’t in Clayton Valley’s closing lineup, the 6-foot-3 senior was joyous on the bench as he watched his teammates hit shot after shot to seal the win.
“Elijah was our missing piece,” sophomore forward Zion Grissom said. “When he gets the ball, he can facilitate and he can score. We couldn’t ask for a better point guard.”
Being out for two months gave Perryman a new perspective on his basketball career. He said he leaned on his faith to get him through the tough days.
“When I first got injured, I thought about if I was ever going to come back,” Perryman said. “But the moral of the story is god got me for real. I appreciate him for the blessings.”
It’s been a roller coaster season without Perryman leading the way for Clayton Valley. A favorite to win the Diablo Athletic League title, the Concord school is fifth in the DAL and 15-10 overall. The Ugly Eagles have not had their entire roster available to them until Thursday night as the injury bug hit the team hard.
Allocco credits the character of his team for not wilting while its best player was sidelined.
“Obviously we wish the team could be here the whole year, but it could be a blessing in the end,” he said. “We went from a very experienced team to a super young team overnight, and we had to change our identity to be a really good defensive team.
“I’m super proud of my team for that and now we get some guys back that could be a big difference.”
With the team starting to gel at the right time, the goal for Perryman and the Ugly Eagles now is to make a deep postseason run in the North Coast Section playoffs.
“The end goal is to go to a state championship and win it all, but we’re going to take it one game at a time,” Perryman said.
