West Henderson High basketball standout Ben Bryson is heading out West this summer ... way out West.
The Falcon junior has been selected to participate in the exclusive NCAA Youth Development Camp, which will be held July 26-28 at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. According to NCAA.com, players were hand-picked by Division I college coaches who have shown interest in them.
“Obviously, it’s a tremendous honor and opportunity to go to one of these camps. Playing Division I basketball is extremely difficult, so this gives him another opportunity to play in front of high-level coaches,” West coach Joey Bryson, Ben’s father, said.
The NCAA says the camps will “provide promising Division I men’s basketball prospects an opportunity to develop their skills while also preparing them for college both as a student and an athlete.”
The speedy point guard Ben Bryson, who shared the Times-News Player of the Year honors with Hendersonville’s Ben Beeker a year ago, was once again the area’s scoring leader this year. He ended his junior year averaging an area-high 24.4 points per game and averaged 5.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
“He’s worked harder than any kid I’ve ever coached, and he’s definitely earned the right to go,” Joey Bryson said.
There are just four development camps in the nation being conducted by the NCAA this summer. The South Region (University of Houston), Midwest Region (University of Illinois), East Region (University of Connecticut) and the West Region (Grand Canyon University).
“How he ended up in the Arizona one, I’m not sure, but it doesn’t matter to him. He’s excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with some of the best players in the country,” Joey Bryson said.
And Coach Bryson believes his son’s stock will be on the rise with this much exposure. In his sophomore year, Ben Bryson received an offer from Tennessee Tech and committed, but he decommitted after the school fired its entire coaching staff. According to Joey Bryson, Ben Bryson has about eight D-I schools actively recruiting him.
“They will all see him play a lot this summer,” Joey Bryson said.
Ben Bryson has also been invited to the N.C. Top 100 Prospect Camp, which will be held June 22 at Davie County High School.
“There will be D-I coaches in attendance there, too. Hopefully this will be a big summer for him,” Joey Bryson said.
