More on Tyler Benson.....

[MIKE MACALUSO]

dont be giving the hinsdale bobcats grief..many a fine lad graduated from there...donny hurlburt, rog forness, kevin milks, pete dandrea, dave conklin....

[sbuSTUDent2005]

why the hell is everyone talking about SAT scores anyway? the kid has an average score and that's all there is to it. this has nothing to do with his basketball playing abilities. let's get back to the real subject here.

[Deleted]

mikenice said:

I hope this isn't the case. Mid 1400 and 1500 are IVY league scores. If they are at Bonas with these scores it's either a poor choice of schools, or some points got added along the way; considering the average SAT score at Bonas is just under 1100.

Actually that is very much the case and both of them started out at different schools but are at Bonas because of money issues. Two kids in school can be very expensive!!!

[FriendsofAN44]

Here is the latest scout.com article - doesn't say much or add anything:

Shooter Completes Bonnies Class
by Dave Telep of Scout.com, May 6, 2005 at 10:51am ET

Tyler Benson Profile

St. Bonaventure completed its 2005 recruiting class this week by adding Massanutten Military Academy shooter Tyler Benson. The 6-foot-5 Benson became the 5th member of the Bonnies recruiting class.

Joining Benson next season will be guard A.J. Hawkins out of South Kent, junior college point Taron Diggs, juco center Evan Kovacevic from Olney Community College and center David Fox from Northeast Junior College.

[sbuSTUDent2005]

This is somewhat incorrect because Lex James will be our last recruit after Kern Carter's scholarship is taken away.

[FriendsofAN44]

...and here is today's Times Herald article:

Bonnies sign fourth recruit





By VINNY PEZZIMENTI, The Times Herald 05/06/2005





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ST. BONAVENTURE — Tyler Benson is known as a dead-eye shooter, but he and his coach see the entire package.
So does St. Bonaventure basketball coach Anthony Solomon, who inked the recruit to a National Letter of Intent Thursday to play for the Bonnies next season.
The 6-foot-7, 205 pound Benson, who played at Massanutten Military Academy in Virginia this past winter, will have four years of eligibility when he steps onto campus in the fall.

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“He is truly a basketball player,” said Bruce Kreutzer, Benson’s coach at Massanutten. “He understands the game. He shoots the three well, but he’s much more than a shooter. He can take it to the basket, he defends. His basketball knowledge is very good.”<br>Benson is the fourth recruit signed by Solomon during the spring signing period and seventh new addition for next season. Benson’s signing finalizes the roster.
“Tyler’s commitment to join us is exciting and very pleasing,” Solomon said. “He is a young man who accomplished his goal of playing in the A-10. Tyler’s skills will benefit our team tremendously and he will be a key component in upgrading our roster next season.”<br>Benson, a native of Morgantown, W Va., started every game last season, leading Massanutten to a 20-9 record. He averaged 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists per contest and connected on 84 percent from the free throw line and 39 percent from three.

“He’s one of those guys who if he has all the right pieces around him he can be a special player,” Kreutzer said.
“I think I have the ability to stretch the defense as a big man and penetrate and kick,” Benson said.
Benson will push returning swingmen Michael Lee, Wade Dunston and Patrick Lottin for playing time.
Kreutzer said Benson must improve his upper body strength — he bench presses 250 pounds — and be able to adapt to the physical play at the Atlantic 10 level.
Benson drew interest from Providence, Siena and St. Louis among several other schools. He didn’t shy away from the fact that Bona finished 2-26 last season and is still recovering from a player-eligibility scandal.
“At first I really wondered if it was something I wanted to get involved with,” Benson said. “After I met and talked with the coaches and looked at the players coming in and the transfers that sat out last year I saw it as a good situation and good place to play.”<br>At Morgantown High School, Benson was a two-time all-state selection. During his three years, he led Morgantown to a 66-9 record, the best three-year mark in school history.
Benson describes himself as a laid-back person while Kreutzer sees him almost as a son.
“I wouldn’t mind bringing him home and making him a part of the family,” said Kreutzer. “His parents did a very good job with him.”<br>The Bonnies also signed 6-foot point guard Terron Diggs, 6-5 swingman A.J. Hawkins and 6-10 center Ivan Kovacevic during the spring period. David Fox, a 6-10 center, signed in the fall.
Transfers Tyler Relph, a 6-foot sophomore, and Paul Williams, a 6-10 junior, will also be eligible in the fall. Both sat out last season due to NCAA rules.

[wgt]

Tyler will add a third perimeter shooter who will make the trey. Last year only Pat was a threat to be defended against outside the arc. Add our two Tylers & our shooting percentages will most definitely improve. His 5rpg & 3 assists along with being automatic from the line completes his package. Tyler sure knows how to win as evidenced by his teams’ combined HS & Prep school record of 86-18. Great to see that he is also a quality kid with lots of character. Earlier today Coach Kreutzer wrote in an email to me: “He's a special kid, I'm sure he will make all the Bonnie fans proud.”<br>Welcome Tyler to a rewarding experience at Bona.

[magnusbu]

Lets not jump to conclusions on this guys shooting skills already. To me he sounds like he is more of a small forward that has a good shot. Now how quick he can get that shot and if he can create his own shots will determine his effectiveness for us.
This will be a wait and see year for us.

[LumsdnA10Academc98]

Here we go again. Coach signs a good, if not great, recruit considering this juncture in the signing period. He looks like a nice player. Tall at 6'7," handles the ball, shoots it well, fills our team's needs. But we'll nitpick the kid's SAT scores. After all, something must be wrong, right?
What happened to welcoming others, let alone recruits, to our university? Welcome, Tyler Benson. (Thanks coach.) Enjoy your journey.

[tally]

Does anyone have access to a site where we c an see Benson's photo?

Does anyone know if we have any scholarships left for Lex? Is anyone else living?

[FriendsofAN44]

Rumors are that another scholarship will open up. That is JUST a rumor or though - don't know who's or why, but it MAY happen.

Also heard that Lex James may not happen; either he chose not to visit, or it was just too close a call on eligibility.

I'd rather have Benson anyway - 4 years compared to just 2, and if he is half as good as what it says on paper, we got a real "diamond in the rough".

Schedule should be out any day now, just one more non-con game to finalize. Among A-10 foes, we play Richmond, Duquesne and Fordham home & home - then among the other 10 teams, 5 are home, 5 are away. So far, Rhode Island and St. Louis are 2 of the home games.

And finally, the Florida Christmas tournament is at either Florida Atlantic or Florida International, not sure which. Kind of hope it's at Florida Atlantic, who has Matt Dougherty of North Carolina fame as their new head coach.

Just 160 days until Midnight Madness !

[sireltonruddock]

As far as James goes, the academics were just too great a risk. I guess it just wasn't going to happen in the classroom.

[sbuSTUDent2005]

Here's a picture of Benson from 2 years ago:

www.mohiganbasketball.com/media/Team%20pictures/teampictures2003-04/tbenson.jpg

[Dunga]

www.mohiganbasketball.com/Archives/2004-05season/Bensonstbonnie.html
www.mohiganbasketball.com/

MOHIGAN SUCCESS CONTINUES, BENSON COMMITS TO ST. BONEVENTURE
By Johnnie Mohigan

Not only has this been the most successful period in Mohigan basketball history, but Tom Yester has six players continuing their careers at the college level. Tyler Benson is the most recent, as he gave his oral commitment to St. Bonaventure, on Wednesday. Others who are continuing their basketball careers are: Ben Torsney (Allegheny), Kameron Law (WV State), Chris Carey (Fairmont State), John Oliver (Carnegie-Mellon), and Dustin Kerns (Lebbanon Valley). Our Morgantown program has done well over the past 4 years (four 20+ winning seasons in a row), but nothing is more rewarding than to see our players be given opportunities to continue to play the game they love, in college. The coaches and players have committed a lot of effort and they are certainly being rewarded.
Tyler had many D-I offers to choose from, but ultimately it was Olean, New York that helped Tyler decide. “I like the fact that it is the only game in town and they sell out all of their home games as well as have good facilities,” said Benson. “The Atlantic 10 is a great conference for me. I will get to play against Temple, St. Joes, UMass, GW and all of the other terrific programs in the conference. The coaches treated me well. Coach Gee and Brannon are West Virginia natives and made me and my Dad feel real comfortable. We will play West Virginia next year in Rochester.”<br>Benson is the first Division I, signee at MHS since Nathan Smith (1993). Kameron Law had several Division I schools recruiting him, when he decided to stay close to home, subsequently signing with WV State.

[efsboca]

I hope the Christmas tournament is at FAU as well Fax, as the campus is 2 minutes from my house, but I don't think it is. I had a meeting with the AD and one of the assistant AD's on thurday and they did not mention it (they know I went to Bonas), in fact we discussed the fact that Doherty's sister went to Bonas while I was there. I hope he can build a big time program here (its not exactly hard to recruit to Boca).