| “Benson has an amazing combination of athleticism, basketball skill and savvy. Even though he has only played organized basketball for one year, he has a great feel and tremendous instinct for the game. Once we begin practicing with him we expect to see an acceleration in his maturation process,” says Seminole head coach Leonard Hamilton…averaged a double-double (18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds) as a prep senior…brings with him a fantastic reputation as a versatile all-around player with leaping ability that is awe-inspiring…his dunk arsenal is said to be Jordan-esque…a tremendous athlete, who makes shots, grabs rebounds and gets up and down the floor in transition well…considered to be the best player in the Western half of the state of Pennsylvania…has the athletic and basketball ability to play all five positions and play them well. HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from George Junior Republic High School in Grove City, Pa., in 2002…GJR is a boarding school with about 500 male students located 45 minutes north of Pittsburgh…averaged a double-double of 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots in leading GJR to a 22-3 record and into the state playoffs…earned first team big-school all-state honors (Class 3A and 4A)…named Most Valuable Player of the Mercer County Conference…also named MVP of the Pennsylvania-Ohio All-Star game during which he scored a game record 31 points…the head coach of the Pennsylvania All-Star team was Bob McConnell – his high school coach…Callier is the only player who participated in the All-Star game to sign with an Atlantic Coast Conference school…helped lead GJR to the semifinals of the state District 10 Class 4A tournament…played the best game of his senior season as he scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots against Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary and its standout player, LeBaron James…James had appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated just weeks before the game in February 2002…two of Callier’s blocks came against James in a game attended by more than 7,000 fans…St. Vincent-St. Mary was the No. 6 ranked prep team in the nation at the time of the game…GJR won the game, 58-57, in overtime at Youngstown State University…scored 14 points as GJR defeated Central Erie and added 24 points as the Tigers defeated Sharon High School…his career-high of 42 came against Warren G. Harding High School in a 98-73 GJR victory on Jan. 26, 2002…scored 30 or more points four times and recorded 14 double-doubles during his senior season…scored in double figures in all but two games during his senior season…attended Lakewood High School during the 1997-98 season and was a member of the junior varsity team as a freshman…attended Bradenton Southeast and Gibbs high schools in St. Petersburg in 1998-99…scored 21 points and grabbed his career-high of 18 rebounds against Williamsport…tied his career of 18 rebounds to go along with 14 points against Erie Prep in the state playoffs... was named big-school (Class AAA and AAAA) first-team all-state... MVP of the Mercer County Conference... and MVP of the Pennsylvania-Ohio All-Star Game, in which he scored 31. PERSONAL: Born Jan. 26, 1983…Benson is the son of Patsy and Thomas Powell…also credits a grandmother, Kate Callier, with helping him succeed…among his mentors are Pat and Anthony Lawrence who help him move him toward success…selected Florida State over Cincinnati, Auburn and Xavier. |
