Star In Her Own Right University’s Perno Belongs With More-Noted Teammates

When Syd Perno hoisted the shot put beyond 40 feet to win the Greater Spokane League’s District 8 track meet last month, the grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth was a mixture of amazement, pride and embarrassment.

She takes that same attitude into tonight’s Eastern Washington-North Idaho Girls AAU All-Star Basketball Classic at Lake City High School in Coeur d’Alene.

The 6-foot senior-to-be at University is part of such a strong lineup of posts for the Washington team, she isn’t sure what she’s doing there for the 7:30 game.

“I see so many people out there that are good,” she said, admitting she was surprised to be selected for the team. “Not now. I hoped maybe by my senior year, if I worked hard enough. It’s fun. It’s challenging.”

She cracked that smile when considering her teammates include 6-foot-1 Jennifer Stinson of Davenport, Washington’s all-time leading scorer; 6-3 Jenny Hoots of Cheney, Frontier League MVP; 6-0 Shawna Rainer of Shadle Park, first-team All-GSL; and Jennifer Stinson of Ferris, second-team All-GSL.

Then she considered the talent across the border, including Melissa Dodge, a 6-footer from Coeur d’Alene who is headed to Vermont, and 6-1 Alli Nieman of Sandpoint.

Then Perno, herself a second-team AllGSL pick, ticked off a long list of camps she has attended, the national AAU tournaments she has attended with the Spokane Stars and began to realize she has worked hard for the honor.

“She’s improved by leaps and bounds over last year,” said Washington Statebound point guard Jen Kerns of Lake City, who is a rival for this game. “She wouldn’t have caught your eye on the court last year, but she is so awesome now … she sets a tough screen.”

Perno went with the Stars U-14 team to Ogden, Utah, two years ago and with the U-15’s to Shreveport, La., last year for nationals. The stop this summer is Dallas.

“I think I’m really lucky to play with the type of players I play with,” she said.

Perno began playing YMCA basketball in fifth grade - as a point guard. By sixth grade she grew enough to be on the front line and has been there ever since.

Perno started to take the game seriously, “when I realized it could pay for my college education,” though her perfect grades could get her in almost anywhere.

But her college decision is tied to basketball. Too much of a realist, she doesn’t dream of Stanford and Connecticut, but she has been to Oregon and would like to play in the Pac-10, “if I improved lots and lots and lots and lots.”

Though she needs to work on shooting and defense, Perno believes she can hold her own as a rebounder on a team of stars that she would like to play with yearround.

“It would be unbelievable,” she said. “Since you’re playing with such great people, everything you do helps you get better. I like playing basketball and I think I’ve gotten better. I’d like to be the best but I look at all the quality people and really admire how they play.”

Since several of tonight’s teammates and opponents join her on the Stars team, Perno expects a fun and competitive game.

“I think it’s great to have fun but our team wants to win,” she said.

Breaking the 40-foot barrier in the shot put showed her what she can do but it would take another 5 feet for her to bump basketball to the back burner.

“I don’t love it like I love basketball,” she said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo