Downingtown West graduate Ryan Betley – who, despite an injury, excelled last year as a freshman in the Ivy League – is a rising basketball star at Penn, writes Dick Jerardi for the Philadelphia Daily News.
In high school, Betley was first noticed by Steve Donahue during a state-playoff game against Roman Catholic. Donahue, a Ursinus alum and former coach at Boston College, was soon hired to be the next coach at Penn.
His first recruit was Betley.
“I marveled at his confidence in a very hostile environment and made him a priority as soon as I got here,’’ said Donahue.
Advertisement
After breaking a bone in his shooting hand, Betley had to miss the first nine games for the Quakers last season. Once healed, though, he was a revelation.
Penn had lost its first six Ivy League games without Betley. When he returned, the Quakers managed a late-season run to the league’s playoffs.
Donahue said Betley was exactly what the team needed.
“Local kid, skill, size, everything I wanted,” he said.
Read more about Ryan Betley in the Philadelphia Daily News here.
