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Kinney, Perry aim to win their sixth state title together today

Saturday, March, 15 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

With a file full of memories, Salem boys basketball coach E.J. Perry may very well have said farewell to senior forward Dan Kinney after practice yesterday.

  And then he'll probably do it again today after the Blue Devils face Trinity in the Class L championship game, which gets underway at 3 p.m. at UNH's Lundholm Gym.

In Kinney's case, two farewells may be necessary. The 6-foot-4 senior forward, according to Perry, has somewhat of a split personality.

"In these (tournament) games, when there is serious competition, he brings huge intensity," said Perry. "He is really focused on what needs to be done and he goes after it. He's in another zone.

"But in practice, he's kind of a smart aleck. He lightens things up, and he's always questioning me. Maybe it's his mathematical mind. He likes to go over step by step when he explains why he thinks something should be done a certain way. He likes to debate me, sometimes too much."

If anyone would know Kinney's true nature, it's Perry. He's coached him for four straight years in boys volleyball, all four of which resulted in undefeated state championships, and this is his second year as his varsity basketball coach. And today, the pair will be looking for their second straight hoops crown.

In six years of varsity competition under Perry, Kinney has been involved in just one loss in New Hampshire and three losses overall, all in basketball. With 74 straight victories in volleyball under his belt, Kinney's career record in the two sports is a stunning 120-3.

Maybe it's partly being in the right place at the right time, but Perry saw something in Kinney from the start and appreciates everything his two-sport captain has contributed.

"I remember his freshman year in volleyball, he was tall and frail, but I could see he had talent and could get things done," said Perry. "The third game of the season, I told him it was his time to go in. He was dumbfounded, but he started contributing right away. Then in the (volleyball) finals, his freshman year, he had a really good game.

"He comes through in the big games. He dominated in the state tournament in volleyball the last two years and last year, he had to come in (off the bench) in the final (basketball) game when (Shawn) Stoodley got hurt and he had 2 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks. And those were huge blocks."

Although he's known more for his volleyball prowess | he was the obvious choice for New Hampshire Player of the Year | he's really come along in basketball, too.

"Look at what he's done the last two games," said Perry, whose basketball team is going for its 32nd straight in-state victory today. "He took four charges against Pinkerton and then he took two (against Manchester Central in the semis). And he was huge for us underneath (10 points, 8 rebounds in the semis). He does all the little things you need to be a winner."

This year he's averaging 9.1 points and 8.9 rebounds a game.

Kinney tries to bring some serious intensity to any game he plays, but he admits that he steps it up for basketball. In that way, he's a reflection of his coach.

"I try to bring it on for every sport, but there is more intensity for basketball than volleyball, and I get more pumped for basketball," said Kinney. "He (Perry) is the same way ... he definitely steps it up for basketball."

Kinney, who is leaning toward playing volleyball and studying electrical engineering for the University of New Haven next year,  knows that today may be the last time he plays competitive basketball, and he knows that the possibility of a perfect 6 for 6 in state championships would be something to behold.

But he's trying to stay focused on the goal at hand | playing his best against Trinity, who Salem beat at the buzzer in last year's title game.

"I don't even want to think about it yet," said Kinney. "If I get (six titles), and I'm not saying we're going to, that would be an amazing career. I can't even imagine it."

Win or lose, Perry won't soon forget the winning trail he's blazed with Kinney.

"It'll be a sad day (today)," said the 43-year-old Perry, who also coaches the Methuen High boys volleyball team in the spring. "You're always going to miss your seniors, but he'll create a void more than anyone. You figure that from Aug. 15 until March 15 for four years he's been with my program, that's a lot of time together. There's no one like him."

As for Kinney, he realizes he may never have a coach who knows him so thoroughly.

"He knows everything about me," said Kinney. "He has my cell phone number and he calls me all the time. For a coach, I feel very close to him. I love the guy."