Jon Perry has spent years on the sideline at the U.S. Naval Academy, but now his responsibilities have shifted.
Perry is entering his first season as Navy’s head men’s basketball coach, succeeding longtime leader Ed DeChellis. The former associate head coach is stepping into the role with a veteran roster and high expectations following a Patriot League championship game appearance last season.
“The biggest thing is just the amount of decisions that fall on me every day for our program,” Perry said on Glenn Clark Radio Oct. 30. “… You think you’ve got your day planned, and there’s 50 things a day that come up that you need to make a decision on that you just haven’t planned for.”
Perry, who has been part of Navy’s staff since 2013, credited DeChellis for preparing him for the position, noting one of the most valued pieces of advice he received — never make an important decision after 4 p.m.
“Sometimes you’re able to make a quick decision on certain things, but other things take a little bit longer and that’s one of the great lessons I learned from Coach DeChellis — that ability to discern a little bit,” Perry said. “Something he always told me was never to make an important decision after 4 o’clock. Sleep on it.”
The Midshipmen, picked as the preseason favorite in the Patriot League, return all five starters from last year’s squad, led by senior point guard and preseason Player of the Year Austin Benigni, a 5-foot-11, 171-pound senior point guard out of The Woodlands, Texas.
Benigni averaged 18.8 points and 4.3 assists per game a year ago. He set a single-game Patriot League record with 20 made free throws during a semifinal win in March.
“He has unbelievable mental toughness and resiliency,” Perry said. “He’s first in the gym, he’s last to leave and I think you want that in a point guard. You also want a guy that can take command of the game at times, and he is that. And you also want a guy that really wants to serve his teammates, and he does that in a lot of different ways, but he sets the example on how hard we want to play and how hard we want to work. We’re very appreciative of that. Everything he’s gotten in life that young guy has earned.”
Benigni briefly explored transferring last offseason. Perry said his focus was supporting the point guard throughout the decision process.
“Ultimately, I just want what is best for him,” Perry said. “I think as you get to know these young guys, then you can help them with their basketball game and their futures. But if you don’t get to know them as people and you don’t really understand their goals and aspirations, it’s hard to help them with that basketball decision.”
Senior forward Donovan Draper will also play a central role after emerging as one of the league’s top rebounders (8.2 per game last season). Perry said offensive improvement is key to Draper’s next step.
“Draper’s next step is really becoming an offensive threat for us — a guy that can get double digits for us, not just offensive rebounding, but figuring out ways to get to the free throw line and be a consistent night-in, night-out scorer for us,” Perry said. “If he can do that, our team will make great strides.”
Forward Mike Woods, a senior captain, brings defensive energy to the court and leadership to the locker room. Woods recorded seven steals in the regular-season finale against Loyola and eight more in the conference tournament.
“He gives us purpose. He gives us direction. He gives us motivation on a daily basis. That doesn’t just happen. I tell the guys all the time captains act like captains before they’re nominated as captains,” Perry said. “… He’s trusted. He takes initiative. He uses great, great judgment. He never compromises our standards. He empowers others. He speaks with conviction. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Navy’s seniors must help the Mids navigate the challenge of coming close to a championship, falling short and returning with greater expectations.
“My gut has told me to talk about it and make it part of our everyday identity,” Perry said. “We can only control our attitude, our effort and our response.”
Navy has its home opener on Nov. 7 when it hosts Yale in the Veterans Classic. Tulsa vs. Rhode Island will play in the early game. Perry called the event, now in its 12th year, a privilege and a showcase for the academy’s mission.
“It’s an honor and a privilege. This is a dream job for me, and I’m going to try to do everything I can for this program and these players and this staff,” Perry said. “To be able to host these three teams, I don’t really have words for it. I mean, they’re going to experience the Naval Academy in a way that others don’t get to do.”
The schedule features a renewed rivalry with Air Force on Dec. 7, the first meeting between the service academies in two decades. Perry hopes Navy, Army and Air Force can build toward a Commander-in-Chief’s-style trophy for basketball.
Navy will also face major-conference tests at North Carolina and Penn State during nonconference play, measuring whether the Mids are ready to deliver on a postseason forecast.
“We don’t want to be a preseason story,” Perry said. “We want to be a postseason story.”
For more from Perry, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Navy Athletics