Ridley’s Julian Wing, right, dribbles away from Lower Merion’s Eli Needle during the Green Raiders’ 61-40 win Friday night. (Times Staff/Robert J. Gurecki)
By Matthew De George
When you ask Ridley’s Mike Patterson how tall he is, the senior forward will offer a 6-foot-4, before sheepishly covering with, “or, maybe 6-5.”
In contrast to Patterson’s unassuming height, there was no doubting the vertical credentials of his opponents Friday, Lower Merion’s tandem of 6-9 Jeremy Horn and 6-6 Dion Harris, with his outsized leaping ability.
Yet by the time Patterson marched to the bench to a grateful ovation with 3:21 remaining, making way for the subs to play out a 61-40 demolition by the Green Raiders, there was no doubting that Patterson stood tallest.
The senior collected a career-high eight points — heck, he’d scored 12 combined in 10 appearances this season — but saved his best efforts for the defensive end, completely muzzling Horn and Harris.