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<b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – May 21, 2025<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="page-break-after:avoid;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor MBB Adds Italian Forward Perez
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="page-break-after:avoid;layout-grid-mode:char"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">The Six-foot-eight forward is the third member of BU’s 2025 Class</span></b><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">For more information, contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">Matt Roberts, 254-227-2280,
</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:WM_Roberts@Baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue">WM_Roberts@Baylor.edu</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">WACO, Texas – </span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">Baylor men's basketball
inked the third member of the Class of 2025</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">, announcing the addition of Italian forward Maikcol Perez on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">A native of Bassano del Grappa, Italy, Perez comes to Waco with no shortage of success on the international level, competing with Orange1 Bassano before signing
with the Bears. Baylor head coach Scott Drew likes what he has seen from the 6-foot-8 forward.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">"Maikcol has a great ability to impact the game in a variety of ways,” Drew said. “Not only can he excel with the ball in his hands, but he also
possesses a high basketball IQ, which helps him on both ends of the floor. He comes from an athletic background and will be a great fit for us moving forward, so we are looking forward to adding him to the mix next season.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">Perez displayed those skills last year for Italy in the 2024 U17 FIBA World Cup, where he averaged 14.6 points on 58.6% shooting, adding 8.6
rebounds and 4.6 assists in seven games. His high-water mark came in the round of 16 against Australia, where he poured in 18 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and dished out nine assists. In the final against Team USA, he added 18 more points, along with eight
rebounds and eight assists, clinching a spot on the all-tournament team. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">In the Adidas Next Gen Euro League Tournament with Orange1 Bassano in 2022-23, he averaged 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest. Additionally, he
earned a spot on the U16 Euro Championship A All-Tournament Team, lifting Italy to a silver medal in the event.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:none">The third member of the class of 2025, he joins five-star prospect Tounde Yessoufou and Link Academy wing Andre Igoudala II</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Follow @BaylorMBB on X, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">—Baylorbears.com—<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">Matt Roberts | Director of Athletic Communications (MBB/MGOLF/ WGOLF) <br>
Department of Athletics | Baylor University<br>
C: 254-227-2280</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#212121;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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