Bluffton’s Jermaine Patterson raises game, earns All-Area Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year

There was no mistaking the talent when Jermaine Patterson went straight into Bluffton’s starting lineup upon his arrival as a freshman. Even so, coach Brett Macy made sure to temper his approach.

“As a freshman, he’s still learning,” said Macy. “We got on him, but we had to lay off.”

By the time last fall rolled around, though, the restraints came off. Macy demanded more from his point guard — and got it.

Not only did Patterson improve his outside shooting and cut down on his reach-in fouls, his sophomore season unveiled a growing patience and savvy that went beyond talent and numbers.

“I used to rush things,” Patterson said, “But now (I feel) he’s actually made into more of a true point guard.”

Said Macy: “To his credit, he has handled it. His maturation from last year to this year was incredible.”

Though it didn’t always moderate the extremes of a hot-and-cold Bobcats season, it was enough to give Patterson the nod as Player of the Year from The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.

On an All-Area first team that featured four All-State selections and a SCISA All-Star, Patterson may have been the most multifaceted contributor to his squad.

“He really carried us on his shoulders this year,” Macy said. “He really kept our offense in rhythm — kept his head up, just a tremendous passer. He’s one of the more talented kids that I’ve had the pleasure of coaching.”

Patterson not only led Bluffton with an 18.9 scoring average and five assists, his 6.2 rebounds also topped the Bobcats’ chart. He also learned how to harness his elite quickness, improving his steals to 3.6 per game while cutting down on his fouls.

Despite his sophomore status, he was named Player of the Year by region coaches.

“The season went good,” said Patterson, who added that playing smart defense was an area of focus for him this season.

Patterson’s quickness often led him to take chances on opposing dribblers, sometimes getting the steal but just as often called for a reach-in foul. As he moved up in competition level, he also learned some guards were just waiting to blow past.

One such lesson came in a preseason scrimmage when he was victimized repeatedly by Spring Valley’s Tommy Bruner.

“He just kept going by me,” Patterson said.

“He needed to learn patience,” Macy said. “If you’re going to anticipate, make sure you’re sizing him up properly. A lot of that is vision. You think of (vision) on offense, and it’s true. But it’s also vision of what the other team is going to do and — boom — being there. That and elite quickness is a dangerous combination.”

Patterson wound up producing five games of five or more steals, including an early nine-steal effort against Beaufort. He also put on a first-quarter display against Nations Ford in the Bobcats’ holiday tournament, picking his opponent on three straight possessions for easy buckets.

Patterson also notched four games of 30 or more points, though three of them came in losing efforts. That includes the Bobcats’ finale, scoring 30 points on just 19 shots as Bluffton fell to Carolina Forest in its Class 4-A playoff opener.

The Bobcats lost five of their last six, quashing what had been a promising season.

“We just went downhill,” Patterson said. “We didn’t learn from our mistakes, and that’s what beat us.”

Within 48 hours, Patterson was back at the gym seeking to get better. He also plays AAU ball for the Upward Stars program in Spartanburg, requiring a four-hour drive each way on weekends for practice.

“It’s worth it,” he said.

Patterson will get plenty of exposure to college scouts. Macy said several mid-major schools have shown interest, and his stock could go up further if he can add a few inches to his 5-11 frame.

“When you’re talking about the ACC and SEC, size does play a part,” said Macy, who recently departed Bluffton to start the athletic program at May River High.

“At that position, his skills are extremely good. If he grows another 2 or 3 inches, I think it’s a done deal as far as a major Division I program. He’s definitely a Division I-type talent.”

This story was originally published March 26, 2016 at 7:43 PM with the headline "Bluffton’s Jermaine Patterson raises game, earns All-Area Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year."