The Trent Perry Dilemma that is brewing for the Bruins

Trent Perry has played very good basketball over the last six games that he has started. Skyy Clark who has been out with injury, has led to Perry being inserted into the starting lineup. The bench has taken a large hit, but Perry has played his best basketball of the season now. You have to run the risk with reward to try and win games in the Big Ten. It is not sustainable long-term to get minimal bench play. But to make it through this small stretch. It is needed for Perry to be in with the starters.

When Skyy Clark returns. It is of the expectation that Perry will move back to the bench. But it also leaves open the opportunities that they could move to a three guard set and move Dailey Jr. to the bench. Perry’s play cannot be overlooked, and Mick Cronin needs to put him in the best position to succeed. He can score the basketball as well as lock-in defensively. Making him one of the most important players on the team. Building on a freshman season last year that saw him play sparingly as a defensive spark plug.

Perry over his last six games starting has averaged 16.2 points per game on 44% shooting from the field and 36.6% from 3-point range. Most importantly is he is 30-33 from the free throw line. Which is a gigantic stat because UCLA continues to struggle as a team for free throws. They’re 13-24 over their last two games and have struggled with consistency this season. Perry is not one of them and is 82% from the stripe on the year.

The questions will start to come up as Clark gets closer to his return date. Will Perry remain a starter or move back to the bench to provide them a spark? It will be a difficult decision to make for Cronin but will need to be made sooner rather than later. You want the great play with the starters. But you also don’t want them scoring 95% of the points. A bench will be needed to help the scoring load. You have seen short rotation teams over the years not get it done because they wear down. Creighton is a good example of that.