Open Gym Report: Benson Techmen
PrepHoops Oregon is hitting up open gyms in the Portland Metro area this next month to get an early look some of the top teams. It was bright and early in the morning on Tuesday as we dropped by to catch the Benson Techmen in open gym. For the most part, all of the varsity returnees were there with the exception of Jaylen Russell (2019).
Here are observations on several of the players present:
Cobee Crawford (2020)
Crawford was hands down the best player in the gym. The 6-foot guard essentially did what he wanted offensively, hitting long bombs and driving to the basket. Penetration was Crawford’s preferred method of scoring as if he was given an inch in the defense, he would cut through the lane and use his strong body to finish with either hand. It would probably be safe to say that Crawford will likely be Benson’s top scoring threat this season. At this point Crawford is a scoring point guard who might project to the D2 level depending on his continued development as a floor leader.
Cameron Andre (2022)
Andre showed up midway through and got into a couple of games. We only got a brief glimpse of him but he ran the floor well and followed up with a couple of offensive rebounds. Rail thin at 6-foot-6, he got pushed around a lot by smaller players but it appears his game is more about finesse than power at this time. He noted in an interview later that he’s working on becoming a perimeter player so it will be interesting to see how he develops since he is seemingly the only height the Techmen have on the roster.
Dreydan St James (2019)
St James is 6-foot-2 but has a solid build so he may see some time playing up front. In this open gym, he was pretty much doing it all. While it was a little loose at times, he has a pretty good handle and he was able to use his strength to drive and finish plays around the basket. St James showed some range on his jump shot as well. A solid passer, St James will probably be playing some point guard this year. He currently projects as a NWAC/JC type college prospect.
Sean Calhoon (2019)
Calhoon is a 6-foot combo guard who did a little bit of everything at open gym. He mainly operated off of penetration moves, but also stepped out and hit some threes. Calhoon was very active defensively, both physically with his hands and feet, but also vocally as he was often calling out to teammates about assignments and positioning. He currently projects as a NWAC/JC type college prospect.
James Kuss (2019)
Kuss has some decent size on the wing at 6-foot-2 and from the scrimmages it was clear his mark is as a shooter, but he also showed an ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the basket.