Prospect Spotlight: Ben Sutton (2017)
One of the best big men in the state, 2017 center Ben Sutton, hails from Ingraham High School. Sutton relishes the fact that he’s a big man, and loves to play with his back to the basket. But he knows…
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Continue ReadingOne of the best big men in the state, 2017 center Ben Sutton, hails from Ingraham High School.
Sutton relishes the fact that he’s a big man, and loves to play with his back to the basket. But he knows that in the Metro League he has to be able to keep up with the pace and he’s developed a jump shot to help.
“I think I’m a classic big in general,” Sutton said. “But I’ve also added to my game in order to play at a higher pace and on the wing.”
Sutton can also take slower players off the dribble and can drive to the basket for a score. He can also use his quickness to defend players on the wing. Another positive for Sutton is his footwork. At 6-9 and 225 pounds, Sutton has excellent footwork in the post and other areas of the floor.
A couple of things that Sutton wants to work on are his athleticism, speed and strength. As a big man, his speed is something that he wants to constantly work on.
“All of those will come more readily depending on the number of hours spent in the weightroom,” Sutton said.
As much talent as Sutton has, he’s always wanted to focus more on academics than basketball and never really gave thought about playing division one basketball. But he still has offers on the table to play division three basketball.
“I’ve been blessed by teammates and coaches who have pushed me to strive to play the game I love in college,” he said.
A step towards college basketball was playing in the tough Metro League for four years. Metro, which might be the toughest league in the state, has helped Sutton prepare for the ups and downs.
“I really think playing in the Metro Division has been one of the best experiences in my life,” Sutton said. “It really challenges you as a player and a teammate because no matter what team you are on, you will struggle and falter under the competition at some point. It’s crazy to think about but to even be competitive in this league you really need at least 2-3 upperclassmen with division one offers.”
Sutton has a basketball future ahead of him if he wants it, and after averaging 14 points, seven rebounds and a block per game his future looks bright.