Prospect Watch: Ben Cooper (2019)
Class of 2019 combo guard Ben Cooper of Jefferson City Helias is poised for a big junior season at the Mid-Missouri school.
One of the top 3-point shooting threats in the state, the 6’1″ Cooper is now at Helias after spending the first two years of his career at nearby Columbia Rock Bridge.
With a strong returning group of players, led by All-State guard Landon Harrison, Helias were already going to be a strong contender in Class 4. The addition of the talented Cooper could make the Crusaders a potential Final Four team. Not only can he shoot the ball from long distance, he is also a quality ball handler and passer.
“I’ve fit in extremely well with my new teammates at Helias,” Cooper said. “We share the ball and love to play for one another. We have a lot of skilled players and a great coaching staff who cares about player development and skill development. We only lost two games this summer and really showed that we are a serious threat for a potential Class 4 state championship.”
Cooper had a chance to improve on his skills during the summer while playing for the Brad Beal Elite 16U team that competed in the Nike EYBL. Throughout the summer, he displayed his knockdown shooting ability while spending time at point guard for BBE. Cooper closed out the summer with an excellent showing at the Jayhawk Summer Finale in Kansas. He has gained recruiting interest from schools such as Air Force, Lipscomb, SIUE, South Dakota and Arkansas-Little Rock.
“Playing with Brad Beal Elite really helped me develop as a player this spring and summer,” Cooper said. “I was able to play against the best competition in the country. The EYBL is the best league and platform for summer basketball. The exposure you get is amazing.”