Atakan Sahinkaya came to The Perkiomen School as a perimeter player. On Friday, Jan. 13, the 6-foot-5 forward showed his low-post acumen.

                Sahinkaya – a senior from Istanbul, Turkey – scored 13 points in the second quarter to help the Panthers build a comfortable lead against Eastern University Academy Charter School.

                In the second half, The Perkiomen School relied on its transition offense to cruise to a 75-38 non-league victory over the visiting Eagles on Friday, Jan. 13.

                Chandler Brooks finished with a game-high 21 points for the Panthers (4-0 league, 12-3 overall), who have won seven straight and 11 of their last 12 games. Nick Guadarrama delivered 19 points and 19 rebounds, while Sahinkaya finished with 15 points.

                "We're really progressing well," head coach Thomas Baudinet said. "We are moving the ball much better in our half-court offense. The goal is to be a better team at the end of the season than we were at the beginning."

                While the team's half-court offense is rounding into shape, it continues to thrive in transition. The Perkiomen School relied on multiple steals by Miles Longstreth and several long passes by Guadarrama to trigger its fast break.

                In the second quarter, the Panthers utilized their unselfish approach to score 26 points and extend a 15-13 lead. In their half-court set, they fed the ball to Sahinkaya in the low block. Utilizing a drop step and a short turn-around jumper against a defender 5-inches shorter, he notched four field goals during the second. His 3-point play early in the quarter started the offensive flurry, and his basket on an offensive rebound late in the quarter put them ahead 39-20 to open the quarter.

                "Atakan is starting to take the ball to the basket with confidence," Baudinet said.

                The coach described Sahinkaya, who transferred from Lee Academy in Maine one week into the season, as a quality ball hander who can excel at The Perkiomen School's running game.

                Early in the third quarter, the Panthers missed their initial five shots, all layups. When Baudinet called timeout, Sahinkaya – who missed one of the shots – said he knew what to expect.

                Though Eastern University Academy pulled within 43-27 early in the third, Perkiomen School reeled off 13 of the next 15 points. Guadarrama and Brooks each scored five points. Brooks capped the quarter with a dunk, one of several by the team.

                One day earlier, the Panthers defeated Collegium Charter School 63-33 in a Tri-County Independent School League game. Great ball movement and unselfish play led to a balanced scoring attack, according to Baudinet.

                Guadarrama scored a team-high 13 points and Sahinkaya added 12 for The Perkiomen School, which pulled away in the second quarter. Brooks added 11 and Reggie James chipped in with nine points for the team, which outscored its hosts 23-7 in the quarter to build a 22-point halftime advantage.

                On Tuesday, in a home game against the Phelps School, the Panthers hung on for a 79-67 victory. Sahinkaya scored a season-high 24 points, while Guadarrama added 21 and Chandler Brooks delivered 19 points.

                The win over Eastern University Academy completed a stretch of four games in five days for The Perkiomen School.  Baudinet said he liked his team effort and focus during the week.