Penn basketball’s Ryan Betley suffers ruptured patella tendon, is out for the season

The worst fears have been realized for Penn shooting guard Ryan Betley. He'll miss almost the entire college basketball season after rupturing the patella tendon in his right knee just five minutes into the Quakers' season-opening win at George Mason on Tuesday.

Betley confirmed the news himself on Twitter on Wednesday night, acknowledging along the way that reports of the injury had already gotten out.

"As many of you already know, I ruptured my patella tendon in our first game," he wrote. "I'll be getting surgery then rehabbing soon after. Be back better than ever for the 19-20 season! Thanks to everyone for the support and kind words."

The junior, a Downingtown native and Downingtown West product, is Penn's top perimeter threat. Last season, he averaged 14.3 points per game, shot 39.1 percent from three-point range, and averaged 33.5 minutes per game.

Betley is eligible to apply for a redshirt year, but no decision has been made yet.

"It's just a hard part of this game … He puts [in] so much effort, wanted to have a great year," Penn coach Steve Donahue told reporters after Tuesday's game, a 72-71 win. "The only silver lining on this [is] it's the first game of the year, [so] he doesn't lose a year of eligibility."

Penn will play its home opener Friday against Rice (8 p.m., ESPN+). The team will raise the 2018 Ivy League championship banner that Betley helped win, marking the men's basketball team's first addition to the Palestra's rafters in 11 years. If there's to be another title this season, though, it will have to be won without him.