DeSoto ? A spectator walking in on the last couple of minutes of the Perry-Lecompton/DeSoto high school boys basketball game on Friday night would have sworn the scoreboard was wrong.

After all, the Wildcats outscored the Kaws 7-2 over the last 212 minutes, but still trailed by 32 points.

And the game really wasn’t that close.

Perry easily knocked out DeSoto, 59-27, Friday, thanks in part to a suffocating full-court defensive effort by the Kaws.

“They play defense really well,” DeSoto coach Jason Generally said. “Their full-court press was, well, effective.”

To say the least.

But even without the aid of the 23 turnovers the Kaws’ man-to-man press created, Perry still looked the better team as it dominated all facets.

Perry outshot DeSoto, hitting 48 percent of its shots to the Wildcats’ 35 percent. The Kaws had a 31-19 rebounding edge.

In fact, the only real advantage DeSoto held was its play by its subs down the final stretch, but by then the game was all but over.

“They’re starting to make things happen,” PHS coach Pat Hupfauf said with a smile. “We’re a good defensive team. We play defense.”

That the Kaws did Friday in jumping to a 10-1 lead. By the time DeSoto scored its second basket, Perry led by 13, 19-6.

It didn’t getting any better for the Wildcats. Perry was up 29-13 at halftime and led by more than 30 with a minute left in the third as DeSoto scored only five points in the quarter.

Perry guard Aaron Swaggerty, who led all scorers with 16 points, said the Kaws were finding a comfortable stride.

“I would say we had an A-plus defensive game,” he said. “We’re really starting to believe in each other.”

Teammate Justin Zimmerman added 12 of the starting frontcourt’s 29 points Friday, while Shawn Howard and Aaron Spreer combined for 18 rebounds.

“These players are really helping to turn around our program,” said Hupfauf, who said its been almost 15 years since the Kaws had a winning season. “Defense, that’s been a big part of the reason.”

Perry-Lecompton 59, DeSoto 27

PERRY-Lecompton (59)

Shawn Howard 2 3-6 7, Justin Zimmerman 6 0-1 12, Aaron Spreer 5 0-0 10, Jared Swafford 1 0-0 2, Aaron Swaggerty 7 1-1 16, Ryan Soden 1 0-0 2, Joe Mulvihill 1 1-2 3, Spencer Kennedy 2 1-2 5, Drew Robbins 0 0-1 0, Kevin Riner 0 0-0 0, Adam Painter 1 0-0 2, Mitch McPherson 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 6-13 59.

DESOTO (27)

Todd Manson 2 4-8 8, Pete Crall 2 0-0 4, Jonathan Gray 1 0-0 2, Justin Haub 2 0-0 5, Willie Meier 1 0-2 2, Danny Brown 0 0-0 0, Brett Massen 0 0-0 0, Kyle Andrews 3 0-1 6, Andrew Thornbrugh 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 4-22 27.

Perry-Lecompton (7-8) 18 11 18 1259

DeSoto (1-14) 4 9 5 927

Three-point goals Perry 1 (Swaggerty), DeSoto 1 (Haub). Total fouls Perry 17, DeSoto 16. Turnovers Perry 7, DeSoto 23.

DeSoto girls 47,

Perry-Lecompton 39

Wildcats’ coach Dwight Spencer didn’t watch the game tape from Thursday’s debacle against Santa Fe Trail.

Instead, he stomped on it, and ripped it apart.

“I just told the girls to forget about it and move on,” Spencer said of the Wildcat’s 41-27 loss.

That his team did with a solid second half.

Forward Allie Heinen scored 13 of her 19 points in the second, while Katie Davis chipped in 11.

Perry was led by Shannon Wilson, who shared game-high honors with 19 points.

“We talked about bouncing back, and I think we did a good job of that,” Spencer said.

DeSoto girls 47,

Perry-Lecompton 39

Perry (39)

Brandy Jones 2 2-4 6, Heather Franz 1 0-0 2, Shannon Wilson 6 6-7 19, Kirstie Skelton 3 5-11, Stephanie Swafford 0 1-2 1. Totals 12 14-17 39.

DeSoto (47)

Emily Holton 0 1-2 1, Lisa Lambert 2 2-4 6, Julie Beck 2 0-0 4, Becca Davis 0 2-2 2, Katie Davis 4 1-2 11, Allie Heinen 4 11-12 19, Leanne Wilson 0 0-2 0. Totals 14 17-25 47.

Perry (4-10) 10 9 8 1239

DeSoto (6-8) 10 13 12 1247

Three-point goals Perry 1 (Wilson), DeSoto 2 (B. Davis). Total fouls Perry 18, DeSoto 17. Turnovers Perry 25, DeSoto 15.