Mr. Basketball Candidate: Ron Patterson

The last in our series of the seven top seniors brings us to 6'3 Broad Ripple shooting guard Ron "Buss" Patterson. Patterson's name and renown began to grow from the time he was a freshman, including several great head-to-head matchups in AAU play against Georgetown commit D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera. Buss is a tremendous athlete and defender, boasting a seven foot-plus wing span, making him a nightmare for whomever he guards. He is also a great finisher and a big time deep threat. With an improving midrange game, Patterson is a prime candidate for the 2012 version of Mr. Basketball. As a side note, Buss was the first of all the current native Hoosiers to commit to IU, and he's the one who coined the phrase "The Movement" in regards to IU's recent recruiting prowess. Something to love if you're an IU fan, and something to loathe if you root against them. Let's take a look at Buss.

Player
Ron Patterson

Position
6'3 Shooting Guard

High School
Broad Ripple Rockets

College Choice
Indiana University

Junior Stats
18.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.2 steals, 54% FG, 70% FT

Past Seasons
Sophomore - 16-7, lost in Sectionals
Junior - 20-3, lost in Sectionals

National Rankings
Rivals.com - 3 star, 131st overall
Scout.com - 3 star, unranked in top 100, #24 SG
ESPN.com - 3 star, unranked in top 100, #20 SG
247sports.com - 4 star, 93rd overall

Mr. Basketball Outlook
Patterson has a pretty strong case for the award. He's been consistently excellent for all four years of high school play and started on the varsity since the moment he's stepped into the Rocket's gym. He's also won at a high level despite the adversity of having three coaches in four years, and the unbearable loss of teammate and friend Steven Jamison to cancer. The Rockets haven't won a a Sectional title in his time, but voters may take in to account that Broad Ripple was previously part of a sectional that included North Central, Cathedral, Lawrence North, Lawrence Central, and other. With IHSAA realignment, the Rockets moved to 2A, which may be the biggest blessing Patterson could have asked for regarding his award chances. If Broad Ripple can advance deep in the tournament and challenge top teams like Park Tudor for the 2A title, Buss has a real chance. With continued great play from teammates Aaron Payne and Mo Cross, the likelihood of such a run is high. He may currently be on the outside looking in, but Patterson could win it if the Rockets have a monster season.