With several transfers on the roster, Patterson High boys’ basketball team could be a work in progress for the first few weeks. Don’t tell that to Aquille Carr.

“I don’t think we’re ranked where we supposed to be ranked,” said Carr, whose team is ranked 3rd in the VSN’s Top 20. “I think we should be up top.”

The coming weeks will tell if the Clippers are No. 1 worthy. Friday evening, Patterson aced its first challenge of the young season with a 69-44 decision over Calvert Hall College at the Under Armour Invitational at St. Frances Academy.

Carr, a sophomore guard, led all scorers with 32 points for Patterson (2-0 overall), and Myrek Fowkles added 13. Justin Beck had 13 points to lead Calvert Hall (3-3).

The Clippers outscored the defending Baltimore Catholic League champions, 31-15, over the final 16 minutes. Patterson coach Harry Martin said he was pleased with his team’s defensive effort.

“That’s what we’re stressing this year, defense and rebounding,” said Martin. “I think our conditioning took a toll on them in the third and fourth quarters.”

The Baltimore City squad outscored Calvert Hall, 17-7, turning a 38-29 halftime advantage into 55-36 after three periods. The Cardinals had an early 5-0 lead before Carr, one of the country’s top sophomores, got rolling.

Carr scored 10 points in the first as Patterson closed the quarter with a 23-7 run. Carr, Karrell Goines, a St. Frances transfer and Fowkles combined for four three-pointers.

The explosive 5-foot-8 Carr poured in 14 points in the second quarter. The Cardinals stayed with Patterson with Beck scoring eight, but the Towson school was in a double-digit margin the entire second half.

“We didn’t play with any effort,” said Calvert Hall coach John Bauersfeld. “Patterson is a good team and Aquille is a great player. They simply outworked us, outhustled us, outplayed us, out-tough us.”

The Cardinals look to rebound this evening against Class 1A state finalist Owings Mills at St. Frances at 6 p.m. Patterson returns to action Monday afternoon against Southside Academy.

“We always talk to each other during practice and once you get that bond with your teammates on the court, you don’t have to worry about nothing,” said Carr of building rapport with his new teammates. “If they mess up, don’t worry about it. If I mess up, don’t worry about it, just play.”

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