Recruiting Report: Ben Carter (2018)
Lake Clifton High School has a rich basketball history when it comes to turning players into eventual professionals. Will Barton, Josh Selby and Cleveland Melvin are just a few of the more recent players who are making a living playing this game. As the years go by, kids continue to chase those dreams that the three players listed had when they attended Lake Clifton. Senior guard Ben Carter can be included in that sense.
The 6-foot-1 guard recently helped the Lakers secure the Class 2A State Championship. Over the two games played at the Xfinity Center (state semifinals and finals), Carter averaged 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and one block per game.
Since Carter was a freshman, he has been the epitome of hard work and trusting the process. Head coach Herman “Tree” Harried runs a very strict system that challenges his players both on and off the floor. For most high school kids in Baltimore City, it would be easy to be turned off by this approach, but Carter bought in from day one and not only is a better basketball player because of it, but he has also set a solid foundation in becoming a man.
“Coach Tree is on me constantly about staying focused and staying locked in,” Carter said. “But on the court he helped me with the mindset of letting my defense set the tone for my offense. I feel as though when I’m playing well on that end, my offense comes even easier. I’m just a lot more poised and more confident since the beginning of the season.”
Ending his high school career with a state championship is a testament to all of the hard work that Carter has put in over the four years at Lake Clifton. But as in every situation in life, the turnaround comes quickly. For Carter, it’s making his decision on where he’ll play collegiate ball.
Carter holds an offer from Coppin State and has been gaining interest from Division II programs such as Post University and Bowie State University. Carter told Prep Hoops he plans on committing sometime in the near future.
“Things I’ll be focusing on this spring and summer are just becoming a better overall player,” Carter told Prep Hoops. “I have to be smarter on the offensive end and well as getting bigger in the weight room, working on my speed and my athleticism.”
What can a college program expect to get with Carter?
“Energy. I feel as though I’m a very energetic player. I’m very scrappy on defense. I’m not afraid of anybody, I’m fearless on the court. I feel as though I don’t care who you are, I’m going to come at you 110 percent. I think that’s just me being from Baltimore. My toughness is going to translate at the college level.
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