"I'm not the tallest guy in the world, but I do feel I make an impact, that I do a lot of things."
Agreed.
Perpiglia (per-peel-yuh) is a 5-8, 155-pound senior at Malvern Prep, which still boasts a perfect record at 15-0. The latest win came Tuesday in Inter-Ac League play, as the Friars went to 2-0 by outlasting visiting Haverford School, 61-53, in two overtimes. Perpiglia's contributions included 11 points, seven assists and two steals.
Oh, and lots of confidence.
"It's a little surprising to still be perfect," he said. "When I look at the schedule before the season, I'll say about some games, 'Ooooh, that could be a tough one,' but I never go into anything thinking that we'll lose.
"As players, we have a great work ethic and our coaches do a great job in the games, and when they go out to scout the other teams, too. I just expect things to work out, really."
That mindset never wavered, even when HS owned a 34-28 lead.
"Early, we were just trying to contain the ball and not give them good shots," Perpiglia said. "When we went behind by six, coach [Jim] Rullo gave us the green light to trap. Haverford was having trouble with execution. Their guys were getting flustered. We forced them into turnovers, and that got us back into the game."
The contest's one negative aspect was foul shooting. Malvern was not exactly golden at 13-for-22, while HS was miserable at 7-for-21.
Perpiglia went 6-for-10 total, and 4-for-6 in the second OT. Vermont-bound wing guard Brendan Kilpatrick (19 points, six rebounds) did likewise over those last 4 minutes.
"I guess it was in our head," Perpiglia said. "We have to step up to that line with confidence. To just know we're going to hear that riiiipping sound as the ball goes through the net."
Regulation ended, 50-50, and the final points were scored with 1:29 left as Dennis Gabert (16 points, eight rebounds) followed a miss by Kilpatrick. The squads then sleepwalked through a 1-1 first OT. Perpiglia's conversion of a double-bonus began the second OT.
The Fords' leaders were Rashaan "RayRay" Hollman (12 points), Zach Thomas (11) and Sammy Foreman (10, seven assists).
Perpiglia, who lives in Broomall, is receiving Division III interest and wants to work in communications or teaching.
He also might have a stand-up future.
When asked for his official height and weight, he hemmed and hawed before saying with a laugh, "How official do you want me to be?"
