TURBOTVILLE–Gage Patterson helped Loyalsock capture a fourth straight District 4 Class AAA championship last winter. Still, on a team featuring state Player of the Year Saraj Ali, Patterson sometimes lurked in the shadows.

There’s no missing Patterson this year.

Playing on a young team, featuring no senior starters, Patterson is stepping to the forefront. So are players like Jaylen Andrews and Nate Bauman. Together, those three helped lead the way Saturday as Loyalsock surged in the second half and defeated Warrior Run, 63-54.

Patterson is embracing his new leadership role and repeatedly made plays at crucial times while scoring 18 points and making four steals. His quick four-point flurry late in the game helped Loyalsock (5-3, 2-0 HAC-III) clinch the victory and win its third straight game.

“A big thing we talked, especially after we took those losses, was we need to find some leadership. We need to step up because we’re not the little kids on the team anymore,” Patterson said. “We’re underclassmen but we don’t have a ton of seniors on this team, so the juniors have to step up and be like the seniors. It’s finding our way. It opened up a spot for me to step in and try and take over.”

Rian Glunk was the team’s lone senior starter early this season and was making a big impact before an injury sidelined him after three games. Since then, Patterson has grown especially assertive. He has averaged 15.6 points over the last five contests. He also scored the final four of the first half, helping Loyalsock erase a two-point deficit and take a 34-30 halftime lead.

Patterson can play either guard position and has a good all-around skill set. He can hit the outside shot, but also is an effective ball-handler who can attack the basket. Patterson did a bit of everything against Warrior Run and his bursts late in the second and fourth quarters marked huge turning points as Loyalsock finally shook off the vastly improved Defenders.

“Gage is kind of a natural leader,” Loyalsock coach Ron Insinger said. “We tell them leaders lead by action, and he’s really stepped up.”

So have Andrews and Bauman.

Those two also started for the first time a year ago and played vital roles in Loyalsock reaching the state tournament’s Sweet 16. Both put their stamps on the game at different times against Warrior Run with Andrews going for a double-double, producing 20 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

Andrews had a hand in 12 straight points late in the third quarter as Loyalsock turned a one-point deficit into a 50-42 lead entering the fourth. Bauman helped Loyalsock start the game strong and played excellent defense, scoring 13 points, grabbing six rebounds and making two steals.

“We lost a lot from last year, but we’re just trying to find ourselves, and I think (Saturday) is a good steppingstone,” Patterson said. “Every single game we’re figuring out something about ourselves. We have a lot of players who can do a little bit of everything. We’re figuring it out and every win we get helps.”

This was an especially quality win because Loyalsock overcame foul trouble, a tough opponent and a loud road crowd. Players like Tarik Abdul-Hakim, Tyler Gee, Alec Kulp, Ethan Nagy and Krish Patel provided big minutes and did a lot of little things added up to Loyalsock earning a key win, while staying tied with Southern Columbia for first in the HAC-III.

That is exactly what Loyalsock needs, too. The Lancers might not have a super star player like the last two years when Idris and Saraj Ali were the Class AAA Players of the Year, but what they have remains strong. They might not blow out as many teams as the last few years, but wins do not come with style points and as long as the Lancers keep earning those, they will be happy.

“I think we’re going to have a lot of games like this. We’re just going to have to battle every game for 32 minutes,” Insinger said. “Our practices are getting better and better. For a while we weren’t practicing well, but they’ve really picked it up.”

Considering where it was last year, Warrior Run has picked it up by a skyscraper like level. The Defenders were one of the district’s youngest teams a season ago and went 1-21, often being mercy-ruled. This year, they have been in every game and have the look of a team which is capable of beating anyone in a wide-open Class AAA field.

That goes double since Warrior Run (4-6) is still so young. The future looks bright but there is no reason the future cannot be now if the Defenders can avoid the lulls that doomed it at times against Loyalsock. Freshman forward Aiden McKee looks like a star in the making and was a force, scoring a career-high 20 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, blocking seven shots and adding three assists.

Mason Sheesley helped Warrior Run erase an early nine-point deficit and take second and third quarter leads, scoring 18 points and dealing five assists. A Cooper Wilkins 3-pointer gave Warrior Run its final lead, 39-38 three minutes into the third quarter, but Loyalsock switched to a 2-3 zone and effectively stifled the Defenders from there.

The Lancers made the switch to help players avoid foul trouble, which they did, but that zone more importantly denied McKee looks and helped Loyalsock take away the post. As the defense constricted, the offense opened up and Loyalsock built a 15-point lead with less than two minutes remaining.

“Shout to our coaches because that zone gave them fits,” Patterson said. “We like to play high-paced, but we know teams are going to try and slow the game down and we have to try and speed it up because we don’t have a ton of bigs this year. That zone really helped us.”

It was another step in the right direction. The Lancers will try climbing another one in a rivalry game at Hughesville Wednesday.

“It’s a long, long learning curve this year,” Insinger said. “We’re not clicking on all cylinders yet. Hopefully, we will be a high caliber team by season’s end.”

LOYALSOCK (63)

Jayen Andrews 6 7-12 20, Tyler Gee 1 1-2 3, Gage Patterson 8 2-4 18, Nate Bauman 5 2-4 13, Tarik Abdul-Hakim 1 0-0 2, Alec Kulp 1 1-2 3, Lucas Pearson 0 0-2 0, Krish Patel 0 1-2 1, Ethan Nagy 1 0-0 3. Totals 23 14-28 63.

WARRIOR RUN (54)

Chase Beachel 0 0-0 0, Griffen Harrington 2 0-0 4, Carter Marr 0 1-3 1, Cooper Wilkins 3 0-0 7, Braego Cieslukoski 0 0-0 0, Aiden McKee 8 4-4 20, Mason Sheesley 5 4-6 18, Ryan Newton 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 9-13 54.

Loyalsock 21 13 16 13-63

Warrior Run 14 16 12 12-54

3-pointers: Loyalsock 3 (Andrews, Bauman, Nagy); Warrior Run 5 (Sheesley 4, Wilkins).

Records: Loyalsock 5-3. Warrior Run 4-6.