Local Trey Perry shines in freshman year for Miami men’s basketball

Three years ago, the Miami University RedHawks men’s basketball team recruited a class of five freshmen dubbed the Fab Five. As head coach Travis Steele entered his second year at the helm in 2023, this class developed into key pieces for Miami’s success, with junior wing Eian Elmer and junior guard Evan Ipsaro pushing the RedHawks to their current undefeated status.

Before the 2025-26 season, Steele and the coaching staff recruited another young group with hopes of developing further in the next few years. Six freshmen joined the roster, but for one of them, the trip to Oxford only took him 30 minutes away from home.

Freshman guard Trey Perry is a local product, born in Liberty Township, Ohio. He played for Lakota East High School, about 20 miles away from Miami.

Perry began playing basketball at the age of 4, and he said he doesn’t remember a time when he didn’t have a basketball in his hands since then. In his senior year, Lakota East advanced to the regional semifinals of the Division I Ohio High School Athletic Association tournament. Perry finished his career as the school’s second all-time leading scorer. Head coach Glenn Atkins developed him and emphasized the lessons of culture and discipline.

The opportunity to stay close to home after high school was something that factored into Perry’s decision to come to Miami, but another one was his close connection to assistant coach Carl Richburg.

Richburg and Perry’s father, Mason, played basketball together at their local gym. Richburg has known Perry for more than 10 years, and he was extremely excited when the opportunity for him to become a target at Miami came to fruition.

“It’s just funny that he became a priority for us,” Richburg said. “As soon as that became a reality, I was excited because I’ve known him since he’s been a kid, him and his family.”

Another aspect that factored into Perry’s decision is what Steele has been doing for the program. He said he is grateful that Steele has given him the opportunity to come in and contribute to the success.

Perry prepared for the next level with the help of his father, who works as his personal trainer. He knew that the transition from high school to collegiate basketball would not be easy, and he focused on two parts of his game in the offseason.

“I worked on my defense,” Perry said. “Obviously it’s hard to without playing, but I watched film to see what I need to correct. And I worked on my shooting because here at Miami, we’re all shooters, so deep [3-pointers] and shooting off the catch or the dribble were all a huge emphasis for me.”

Richburg described Perry as someone who is always going to go towards the action. He’s highly competitive and plays with great confidence. Richburg said he’s a great teammate who always wants to win, and his ability allows him to make an impact from the start.

Additionally, Perry always treats the game the right way. He loves to be in the gym as well as the weight room. Junior guard Evan Ipsaro described him as a happy guy who always wants to be around his teammates, and who everyone wants to be around.

Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter

“I think he probably sets a better example than he knows he does,” Ipsaro said, “with how hard he goes and how much effort he puts in outside of basketball.”

Halfway through his freshman year, Perry currently averages 5.8 points, scoring a season-high 24 against Milligan University, and he finds about 12.8 minutes of playing time.

Two months remain in the 2025-26 season, but Perry has potential to develop into a key piece in Miami’s program in the next few years. He said he is excited for what’s to come this season and that the work the team is putting in everyday will send the RedHawks far in March.

hartlapo@miamioh.edu