July 21, 2015
Peach Jam just concluded with the Oakland Soldiers finishing a
disappointing 1-4 record without advancing to the quarterfinals. But
one of the key members of this past summer's team is Ben Kone,
who is looking to finish the summer strong in Las Vegas this upcoming
week as the Soldiers will compete in both the Bigfoot Las Vegas Classic
and the Chris Paul Jordan 8 Tournament.
The Archbishop Mitty senior helped his Monarchs to a 20-11 season that
ended in a double overtime loss in the CIF State Division II finals.
The 6-foot-10 and 240 pound power forward averaged 20.2 points, 11.5
rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 blocks per game during the season and shot
58 percent during his junior campaign. In his final three playoff
games, he averaged 25 points and 18.7 rebounds.
As a junior, Kone
was the focal point on both the offensive and defensive ends for the
Monarchs. He feels that the attention that he got from opposing teams
helped him develop his game and leadership, "Having the opportunity to
play in a league against guys that go hard every game has really pushed
me to be better. There are no easy baskets or rebounds. At Mitty, we all
need to support each other as a team in order to succeed and I do
everything I can to support my teammates on and off the court. Together
we can be great."
The No. 2 prospect in the 2016 NCP rankings has
garnered interest from Arizona (Coach Pasternack), UNLV, and Oregon
(Coach Stubblefield) while receiving six offers from Auburn, Cal, New
Mexico, New Mexico State, Oregon State, and San Diego State.
Mitty
Head Coach Tim Kennedy, who played at Loyola Marymount at the college
level, says, "Ben makes a good division I prospect because he has shown
how dominant he can be on the high school level. He has elite strength
and athleticism with a desire to improve that resonates with college
coaches. He has the ability to dominate a game from the offensive and
defensive end."
Kone's current top four is Auburn, Cal, Oregon
State, and San Diego State in no particular order. He has these
comments about these programs and the coaches that he has been in
contact.
Auburn, Coach Pearl
"The opportunity to play in the
SEC which is a physical league and against schools like Kentucky would
be huge. Coach Pearl and I just started talking and I really like him."
Cal, Coaches Webster and Martin
"Coach
Martin and his staff have created an amazing family atmosphere. They
have done a great job recruiting top players. Being close to home and
having friends already on the team is a big pull."
Oregon State, Coaches Gottlieb and Tinkle
"I
love the entire coaching staff and everyone I met at Oregon State. When
I think about who I want to become as a player, I know that there I
would have all the support and guidance I need to be successful. Their
plans to develop me and the entire team are solid. It would be an
opportunity to be a part of something really special."
San Diego State - Coaches Velasquez and Fisher
"The
coaching staff has a great history of success and I fit well within
their style of play. Of course the location is great, but I was most
impressed with the Aztec fans. They are focused on winning and loyal to
their players. It would be fun to play there."
After playing for
the Oakland Soldiers 16U Elite club most of last summer, Kone moved up
to the Oakland Soldiers 17U Elite club for the event in Las Vegas at the
end of last summer and going into this summer. Peach Jam in South
Carolina is considered one of the elite summer events that feature many
of North America's top prep talent while attracting all the major
college programs.
During the EYBL regular season, Kone averaged
9.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. At Peach Jam, he averaged 10.6
points and 7.8 rebounds per game. His overall EYBL shooting percentage
was 56 percent while at Peach Jam he shot just over 60 percent.
Kone's
experience playing on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL)
circuit helped him grow in his words, "My teammates, the coaches, and
the entire Oakland Soldiers organization are like family to me. I've
been with them since the 7th grade when they told us that the odds were
that maybe one of us would make the 17u EYBL team. I was the one that
made it. I thought about that before every game. I have worked hard over
the years and things haven't come easily. To be able to take on the
best players in the country with my Soldiers family behind me has been a
great experience. Every game I learned something and it's made me a
better all around player."
Kone wants to make his decision early
fall so that he can make the most of his senior year and keep focused on
academics. He is working hard on his ball handling and shooting to
help his Monarchs make a run to the California State Open Division
Championship.
Coach Kennedy continues, "After having Ben for two
years, the three things he has improved the most are his footwork, his
shooting and his ability to defend multiple positions. All of these are
related to the fact he has been able to transform his body and has
become more committed to the weight room and his nutrition program. We
want Ben to continually improve his ball handling for his senior year
and ability to deal with double teams. His decision making and passing
will be key to our success."
As the summer ends, watch for Kone
(note about pronunciation of last name is "Ko-nay" and not "Cone" as in
ice cream cone) to continue going strong for the Monarchs in San Jose,
Calif.
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