Although he still has more than two years of high school basketball eligibility remaining, Wichita Heights’ Perry Ellis has already become an accomplished athlete on the court. 
Perry Ellis, Wichita Heights
File photo by Dean Backes
Not only did he put together the best freshman basketball campaign in Wichita Heights boys basketball history, after leading the Falcons to the Class 6A state title a year ago, but possibly the best in Kansas prep round ball lore.
Following a season in which he averaged 19.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game for the 24-1 Falcons, Ellis became the first Kansas freshman to be tabbed Gatorade Player of the Year.
He also scored the first freshman spots on the Kansas Class 6A first-team all-state teams in the Wichita Eagle and the Topeka Capital Journal.
Through six games this season, Ellis has picked up the pace in regards to his scoring and rebounding numbers, averaging 25.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game for the 4-2 Falcons.
However, it’s not individual success Ellis longs for. He just wants the opportunity to play on the state’s biggest stage and to carry Wichita Heights to four straight big-class state basketball titles during his run with the Falcons.
Last March, in the state title game, Ellis scored nine points and was credited with 20 rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot in the 73-58 win over Greater Wichita City League rival Wichita Southeast.
"When you walk into the gymnasium and look on the girls side, there are all of these banners," Ellis said in reference to state title banners won by the Falcon girls athletic teams including basketball titles in 1979, 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2007. "Then when you turn and look on our (boys) side, there are like three banners.
"I’m just glad we had the opportunity to do it (win the title). I wasn’t really surprised that we accomplished it because we knew we could do it."
Ellis and his teammates can now place the 2009 state basketball championship banner next to the one won by the 1977 team that featured former NBA talents and McDonald’s All-Americans Antoine Carr and Darnell Valentine.
Aubrey Sherrod also earned McDonald's All-American status while playing for Wichita Heights in 1981.
Since Carr, Valentine and Sherrod didn’t come onto the Falcon varsity scene until they were sophomores, Ellis was able to get a jump on the school’s scoring and rebounding records last season and is on pace to make both marks his own.
"There is not a whole lot to overlook with his game," Auer said of the first freshman in GWCL history to be named first-team all-conference. "He has had to deal with media scrutiny since he was in middle school.
"He is an impressive body of work already. He goes hard all the time, especially in transition. He can go from offense to defense and defense to offense with the best of them. If he has a goal he will achieve it, even on a daily basis. He is very humble. It’s always team-first with him. The only attention he draws to himself is with his play."
At 6-foot-8, Ellis is the fastest player on the Wichita Heights basketball team, with or without the basketball. And he always brings the ball up court against pressure.
"His speed catches people off guard," Auer said of Ellis, who is part-point guard, part-swingman and part-center. "When he gets going they can’t keep up, especially when he grabs a rebound and heads up court. Other teams are not used to seeing a big guy that is that athletic."
Although he is only a sophomore, the Falcon center has his eyes set on displaying his leadership qualities this season. Not big on words, Ellis will allow his actions to do his talking for him.
"Hopefully the other guys will see me hustle and say to themselves, ‘He’s for real,’ so they’ll go for real," Ellis said.
Losses to Wichita Southeast and Columbia-Rock Bridge in the pre-Christmas portion of Heights basketball schedule have eliminated any hopes of a perfect season for the defending Class 6A champions. But all other Falcon goals remain intact.
If anything, the Falcon loss to Columbia-Rock Bridge at the HyVee Shootout at Avila University in Kansas City could be a key assist for Ellis and his teammates.
"That was big," Ellis said of playing the Missouri school. "There are no teams in Wichita with that kind of size. There were like four or five guys on their team that were 6-5 or taller. They were huge. That loss is going to make us better. We’ve looked at the film on that game and we’ve figured out the things we need to fix."
"We’re also getting Evan Wessel back after the break," Ellis added in reference to Auer’s 6-5 point guard who was injured during the Falcons' state runner-up football run, "so they’ll have to guard him, too. That’ll free me up some."
Competing and winning have always been important to Ellis, but so is entertaining and meeting new friends on the basketball court. Ellis has done plenty of all of the above while playing AAU basketball for coach Steve Young. Before he even stepped foot on a basketball court as a varsity player, Ellis was entertaining throngs of hoops fanatics.
"It’s a lot of fun playing in front of a crowd ," Ellis said. "Getting to meet new people, entertaining and traveling, that’s what it’s all about. I enjoy everything about the game. I love the whole game."
Ellis’ sister Savannah, who played on Wichita Heights’ 2006 and 2007 girls state basketball championship teams, is a junior starter for the University of Memphis this season. Although Memphis has tendered an offer to Ellis, he insists that his sister applies no added pressure to play for the Tigers.
Ellis has also received offers from Wichita State, Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma. Kentucky, North Carolina, Stanford, Oklahoma State and Arizona have all been in contact with Ellis, as well.
