Michael “Finn” Perschau, a senior on the Colonial Forge basketball team, has been a varsity level athlete all four years here at Colonial Forge. Finn has averaged 11.9 PPG (points per game), 5.3 RPG (rebounds per game), and 1.5 APG (assists per game) this season.
Finn had a challenging start this season, undergoing knee surgery on November 20th and working through months of rehab, while maintaining the hope that his best performance was still ahead of him.
“The first two weeks after surgery, I felt good and I could do everything. I was ready, ready enough to play, but [I had] to go into physical therapy, two months after having the surgery and [I] still [was] not cleared to play,” Perschau said on his battle through recovery.
Finn has been working hard to prepare for the season, but a subtle injury leading to surgery caused a minor setback.
“The injury made me change how I thought about life, taking advantage of every second because it put it into perspective, that it’s not guaranteed that you get to play and get to do what you love to do. I’m just so grateful to have that second chance,” Perschau explained.
Jalen “JP” Pierre (25) and Perschau became close friends after meeting during their freshman year. Having played together on the court since then, their relationship has grown stronger over the years.
“I met him freshman year at basketball camp, and ever since then, we’ve realized that me and him both have the same goals and aspirations and we both helped each other grow along the way,” Pierre said.
Finn has been a hard worker throughout his life, whether it’s on the court or in the classroom. His dedication and perseverance inspire everyone around him to give their best effort as well.
“Finn is dedicated and always meets his deadlines. He approaches tasks with a positive attitude and is willing to put in the effort and succeed. Finn handles success with a humble mindset, working hard to achieve perfection but also focus on the journey that got him there,” Mr. Andrew Carr said, Finn’s history teacher for two years.
“I think his dedication and work ethic is very high and higher than most. Every time I see him he is always working towards getting better,” Pierre said.
Perschau isn’t finished yet, as he plans to play basketball in college but is still undecided on where to play.
“I’ll play in college. I haven’t committed anywhere yet, but there’s a lot on the table. I’m definitely playing somewhere soon.”
Finn earned himself first team All-Region this year, and even though his career at Colonial Forge is ending, he’s hopeful about playing in college and continuing to develop his skills at the next level.
