DLN BOYS HOOPS POY: Betley shot Downingtown West to new heights
When a basketball player not only reaches lofty individual goals, but has the talent and influence to make others around him better, it is truly a special occurrence. To make a team mesh together and allow them to reach goals not seen before is a testament to the athlete’s fortitude and work ethic. 
For the past three seasons, Downingtown West shooting guard Ryan Betley has led the Whippets to two Ches-Mont League championship games; one Ches-Mont League title in 2014-15; a PIAA Class AAAA playoff appearance in 2014-15; and, this season, a No. 3 seed in the District 1 Class AAAA bracket.
Betley, who will play his collegiate basketball at the University of Pennsylvania, averaged 17.2 points per game, shot 75 percent from the free throw line and, with 1,333 total points for his career, surpassed Eddie Barton as the all thine leading boys scorer in Downingtown basketball history.
It is for a all these accomplishments that Ryan Betley is The Daily Local News 2015-16 All-Area Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
“Ryan took us from obscurity to win some big games and the No. 3 seed in the district,” Downingtown West coach Jason Ritter said. “He was in the Ches-Mont championship game twice, won one title and he made everybody else around him step up their game when he was on the floor.”
After scoring his 1,000th career point in January, Betley preferred to talk about the goals of his team rather than his individual statistics.
“It was a goal of mine to get to 1,000 points but we have work to do to get where we want to be as a team,” Betley said. “We have a senior-laden team and we want to go as far as we can this season.”
Betley led the Whippets to a 24-4 mark and the No. 3 in the district tournament, and was just about every opposing coach’s target before their squad played the Whippets. Downingtown East coach John Goodman, whose Cougars had some memorable battles with Downingtown West and Betley, talked about how much Betley brought to the floor.
“I’m really glad he is leaving,” Goodman joked. “He is just a high character kid and his basketball IQ is just off the charts. He was really efficient on the floor with his shot selection and he was a very smart player. He did not force things, he let the game come to him. And his release point on his shot was so high it was difficult for Ches-Mont League guards to challenge his shot. He was a real good player for the three years he started at West.”
Betley’s signature was his 3-point shooting, and this season he led the Ches-Mont League with 55 made 3-point shots. He shot 36 percent from beyond the arc, and his 3-point shooting allowed him to total 482 points in the Whippets’ 28 games this season.
“I like to hit the first couple of shots and that gives me confidence,” Betley said. “And my teammates got me the ball where I was in good position to face up the basket.”
Ritter thinks his shooting guard has a bright future at Penn, and he says being around other gifted players will help up Betley’s game even higher.
“Ryan is a very mature young man, and when he gets to Penn with the talent level that will be around him he will thrive in whatever role he plays. Ryan will always be remembered at Downingtown as the all time leading scorer in boys history and he was the best shooter in Chester County.”
