SPOKANE, Wash. — When Kaden Perry attended Gonzaga's team camp last week, he knew it was a possibility that Mark Few and company would offer.
"In the back of my mind that's always where I wanted to go and I just felt like it was the right choice," said Kaden Perry.
When Mark Few finally offered though? Kaden's reaction was what you would expect.
"That was the goal at the end of the tunnel and to know that I finally reached it, my heart was pounding. I felt like I was holding back tears when he said that (When Mark Few offered). I was just so excited. It was really something special."
And the Battle Ground communities reaction?
Well, it's what you would expect as well.
"Everyone's really happy for him and their proud of him," said Perry's high school head coach Manny Melo. "They know he's worked really hard for it and it wasn't something that was just given to him. He really earned it, so that's why I think it's even that much more special and why the community is so proud of him."
"I'll look on my phone and I'll see all these text messages like congratulations and stuff," said the 6'9 post. "I'm like, 'Wow, I really just said right there I'm going to Gonzaga, that's crazy.' I didn't think I'd be doing it that early or even have that option. It blows me away every time I think about it."
One of the reasons why it blows Kaden away is he knows he's going to a school that could eventually take him to bigger things.
"Seeing how they develop their big guys and the community around there. The Zag fans are crazy and everyone is so supportive of them and that's awesome. Seeing how they're able to develop their big guys and can make them the best they can be. Hopefully they can do the same for me and help me improve my game and take me to that next level."
When you listen to Kaden and his head coach describe his style, you know he could be destined for the next level.
"I'm a big guy, run up and down the court. I'm pretty explosive. I have a good motor. I try not to take any plays off. Every single loose ball, every single rebound I try to get. I like getting up and above the rim and trying to jump over guys and just being explosive and being more physical that the guys down there."
"Every comparison has been Brandon Clarke and that's almost to a 'T; right now as far as their athletic abilities," said Melo. "He's going to be a real high flying athletic kid that blocks a lot of shots and creates a lot of cool highlights for his team in the future."