Tucson Amphitheater High School's 6-foot-6, 225-pound senior post Charles Benson is still on the recruiting board this spring, although he had one of the best high school basketball careers in the state of Arizona to date.
Benson helped lead his Amphi varsity program to an 88-9 record over the past three seasons and three straight trips to the state championship - winning the state title in 2011. This season, Benson and Amphi lost in the title game to Peoria HS (50-48), after a basket in the final seconds by Peoria.
Benson was a major force for the Amphi basketball program, especially this season as he averaged 12.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per/game, while shooting a very impressive 69% from the field.
I caught up with Benson this weekend, while he was competing in the Southwest Showcase Main Event, and he advised me that he is hearing from several smaller college programs currently, such as Loyola-Chicago, Kansas Wesleyan, Point Loma and Hamilton (NY).
Benson stated that he is still very wide open in the recruiting process and that he plans to play through the spring evaluation period in an attempt to gain more exposure to college coaches.
As a complete package, Benson is extremely impressive. A strong low-post prospect with a good wingspan, Benson is also an excellent student that carries a 4.5 CUM GPA - an amazing accomplishment for any student these days, let alone a student-athlete.
Benson should definitely get a nice share of college recruiting attention this spring, as he is a rare find - an undersized but strong and athletic four-man with nice length of body. Post prospects like Benson help team's win games.
Benson advised me that he plans to major in Business Administration in college, and also plans to pursue a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) as well.
Arizona Preps will continue to follow Benson's college recruitment closely and bring you any updates as they continue to develop this spring.
Arizona Hoop review Scouting Report: Benson is a tweener for the power-forward position, but I love his size at 6-6, 225-pounds and his athleticism as well - making him a big mismatch for most opposing post players. benson hasa very strong, athletic build with nice size on his frame. He has nice length of arms and good bounce off the floor, that allows him to make plays and finish strong around the basket. Does not mind physical contact, in fact he relishes it, so he gets to the free-throw line quite often as a player. An active rebounder and shotblocker for his size, that will rebound outside of his area and plays much bigger than his size suggests. Very good low post defender. Runs the floor very well and plays hard. Has a great attitude as a player and is a quality teammate. A nice sleeper prospect. Excellent student with a 4.5 CUM GPA.
