Suffolk Christian Academy’s boys’ basketball team was facing the grim prospect on Feb. 19 of a sour end to its 2015-16 season.

The No. 6 Knights were playing in the conference tournament quarterfinals against No. 3 Friends School, a team they had lost to twice, by 10 and then nine, in the regular season. They had hopes of closing that gap and even getting the win, but then team captain and senior point guard Michael Cornette left the game with a wrist injury late in the first quarter.

SCA needed someone to step up, and sophomore guard Patrick Driggers did, leading to his title of Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald Player of the Week.

Friends School ultimately prevailed in the tourney showdown, but their path to victory was decidedly longer and harder than in their previous games against the Knights.

Evaluating his performance in the game, Driggers said it was “better than usual.”

He has averaged around eight minutes a game this season backing up Suffolk Christian’s backcourt tandem of Cornette and junior guard Joel Pope.

Driggers noted that on Feb. 19, he ended up playing about a quarter and a half more than he usually does.

Initially, he expected Cornette to return.

“Honestly, I didn’t know he was going to be out the whole game, but when I realized that, I had a little bit of nerves, but it wasn’t bad at all,” he said. “I’ve been playing with the team throughout the year, so I was comfortable with that situation.”

He was comfortable enough to lead his team with 14 points for the game, shooting 6-for-11 from the field, to go with six rebounds, five assists and a steal.

Driggers recalled that in the fourth quarter, Friends School scored a bucket to push its lead to three points with about 10 seconds remaining. Then, SCA junior forward/guard Harrison Judy took the ball up court and tried to shoot a three but did not score.

Driggers ended up firing up a three that found the bottom of the net to tie up the game.

Friends School called a timeout with about 1.3 seconds remaining, trying to set up a final play. When Friends got the ball in the hands of a shooter, Driggers was there to defend and Friends could not convert, forcing overtime.

The Knights’ season ended up coming to a close at the conclusion of the extra session, but they ended the season on a note of progress, falling by only six points this time in overtime, 61-55.

SCA coach Terry Leiter was grateful for the lift that Driggers gave the team.

“I think that was the best game he played all season at a time when we kind of desperately needed someone to step up and play,” Leiter said.

Driggers also plays baseball, which is his favorite sport and the one he hopes to play in college, but his basketball play in the conference quarterfinal proved that he can generate excitement on the hardwood, too.

Dave Driggers said he was jumping for joy when his son hit the game-tying three-pointer.

Mary Driggers, Patrick’s mother, said, “His father and I are, of course, very proud.”

And the performance may have simply been a preview of coming attractions.

“I definitely expect him to play a more significant role on the varsity team next year,” Leiter said.