Perttu all smiles after setting metro scoring record

GREEN BAY - Kenzie Perttu opened her high school career by scoring at least 10 points in six straight games, including a 21-point effort.

Just a freshman, it was apparent Perttu was on pace to author a memorable career at Green Bay Preble. She hasn’t stopped since her first six games and this past week Perttu recorded a milestone that had her smiling a day later.

On Monday, Preble traveled to Kiel and Perttu was 29 points shy of breaking the Green Bay metro scoring record for girls basketball. Averaging almost 19 points per game, it seemed a long shot for Perttu to break the mark, but she has a way of playing big in a big moment.

Perttu tied her career-high with 33 points, breaking former Green Bay Southwest star Trisha Ebel’s mark of 1,511 points. Perttu now has 1,516 career points and Tuesday the modest sharpshooter was smiling ear to ear.

“Really happy, mostly,” Perttu said. “It felt good. I don’t know, I just want to smile; happy.”

Perttu, a senior, has been a major scorer since Day 1 because she has an all-around offensive game.

“She can shoot from the outside, she can drive and score,” Preble coach Tom Tomaszewski said. “She’s also a great free throw shooter. She just creates things, she creates space and does a lot of great things that way.”

Perttu didn’t know exactly how close she was to the record during Monday’s game, but the coaches did. Three points shy of breaking the record, Tomaszewski and his staff called out a play for a 3-point shot from Perttu.

She caught the ball and put up what became a historic shot. Actually, a long shot.

“We run that play a lot,” Perttu said. “I was like, all right, just like normal. I shot it and it was like the ugliest shot in the world and it went in. I was happy. I didn’t realize that was going to be the shot that got it until everybody was up cheering.”

The game was then stopped to acknowledge Perttu’s accomplishment.

“It was a lot of fun,” Tomaszewski said. “We thought it was something she could achieve this year. We didn’t know when. The girls were very excited. I was happy for her and her family and friends and all the players and coaches who have coached her and played with her.”

Monday’s game marked the third in a row in which Perttu scored at least 21 points. She has scored 84 points over her last three games and looks like a different player than during the middle of the season.

When asked about it, Perttu said it wasn’t because her career is coming to an end and she wants to go out on a high note.

“I’ve been feeling more like me lately,” Perttu said. “Earlier in the season, not that I was doing bad, now I’m really getting in my groove.”

Some would argue she’s been in a groove for four years, and Perttu admits what has transpired has been fun.

“It’s really cool,” Perttu said. “I never would’ve imagined it in a million years. It happened. It just feels good. All the hard work has paid off.

“I knew I could be good if I kept working. I remember when I was in eighth grade and hearing someone scored 1,000 points. I was like, man, that’s a lot of points. I was like, I want to do that some day.”

Perttu has done more than score 1,000 points, and if you’ve seen her play, you’d agree, it’s been cool.

Perttu By Year
Freshman, 22 games, 262 points, 11.9 points per game.
Sophomore, 24 games, 383 points, 16.0 ppg.
Junior, 25 games, 505 points, 20.2 ppg.
Senior, 19 games, 366 points, 19.3 ppg.
Total: 90 games, 1,516 points, 16.8 ppg.

Perttu By the Numbers
3 Times Perttu has scored 33 points in a game.
5 Times Perttu has scored at least 30 points in a game.
30 Games of scoring at least 20 points.
81 Games of 10-plus points.

doug.ritchay@wluk.com