It seems no one harbored doubts that Kylah Patterson would make an immediate impact for Morton.

Except the freshman forward herself.

“I thought it was going to be scary, and I was nervous,” Patterson said. “I didn’t think I would be doing this good. It was my first year in high school, varsity ball, my first year being on a big stage like this. But you get used to it. My second game, I felt good.”

Indeed, even from the outset, the 6-foot Patterson didn’t exhibit any signs of butterflies. She is averaging 26.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 4.5 steals for the Governors (5-4), who haven’t had a winning season since 2017-18.

She posted 41 points against Calumet, has scored at least 30 in three other games and has reached double figures in each one. She snagged 21 rebounds against Munster and has recorded at least 10 in each game.

Second-year Morton coach JaMesha Harris was effusive in her praise for Patterson, who is known by many as “KP” and said she aspires to play in the WNBA.

“She’s a program-changer,” Harris said. “She’s a pretty tough girl. She’s one of the best freshmen I’ve seen in this area so far. She’s really good at what she does.”

There’s not much, if anything, Patterson can’t do, according to Harris, a 2007 Merrillville graduate who played at Purdue Calumet.

“She’s an all-around good player,” Harris said. “There’s no position she can’t play. When I got her in the summer, she was 5-10, and she’s already grown 2 more inches. She’s standing next to my post player (Layla Macon), and they’re the same size, and she’s 6-foot.

“She can play any position. She’s great at handling the ball. She’s explosive. She has one of the best IQs I’ve seen for a freshman or a ballplayer around this area. I’m not just saying that being biased because she’s my player. The IQ she has is phenomenal. She could’ve played in the era I played in.”

Harris saw glimpses of Patterson’s ability before she was in high school.

“I went to go look at her at Scott (Middle School), and she was good over there as an eighth grader,” Harris said.

Macon, a senior center, participated in all of Morton’s summer activities and was impressed with Patterson.

“We played over the summer, and we saw it,” Macon said. “We knew she’d do what she’s doing now. We expected it. She has moves. She helps us out with everything.”

So much so that it’s been something of a double-edged sword.

“Players like Chanteze (Holland) and Layla, KP has had an impact on them and the rest of her teammates by making them better and making them want to get better,” Harris said. “They have a different outlook with her. They want it. They’re hungry for it.

“I just have to get them over the hump of putting it all together. They do rely on her a little bit too much. But they’re starting to get better at it.”