Rising Senior Spotlight - Ben Merritt

Friday, June 5th, 2020

Kingswood-Oxford point guard Ben Merritt took a notable step forward during his junior season and in the process proved that he was well on his way to playing at the college level. 

Merritt is the latest in a growing numbers of guards who have springboarded their recruitment from K-O in recent years as he follows in the footsteps of guys like Sean James and Nick Bray, both of whom were similarly relative unknowns until taking their games to new levels. 

Unfortunately, with spring basketball being cancelled, Merritt's ascension might have gone unnoticed for coaches that didn't see him during the school year. Well, counteracting that is what the NERR-TV virtual showcase is all about, so...college coaches see below for a shot-making pure point guard that puts the team before himself. 

Prospect Profile

Height: 5'10"
Position: Point Guard
Position: Kingswood-Oxford

By the Numbers

2019-20 Stats: 29 made threes in 23 games; 38% shooting from 3pt
Academics: 3.2 GPA

Personal Statement 

What I want college coaches to know about my game is that I love getting all of my teammates involved in the game, as a point guard I like to take control of the pace of the game and force the other team to play at our pace. I am also a team first point guard and want what is best for the team. I am a knockdown 3 point shooter, I made 38% of my 3’s from this past season, including 5 3’s in a game against Berkshire and three 3’s in multiple games this past season. I love to play defense, usually I am guarding the other team's best player and making him work for everything. I work hard endlessly on both ends of the floor in order to secure a win. We play against some of the best competition in NEPSAC Class B and every game we’re going up against some great players. 

Recommendation

"Ben is a consummate teammate and locker room leader. He is a steady team-first point guard with extensive three point shooting range. He led the team in three point percentage (41.6%) and asist-turnover ratio (2:1). Ben is also a system based player, who is willing and capable of working in various roles within a team structure. He understands the values of playing as a team, and often gives up a good shot, to get a team a great one. "
- Brad Seaman, Head Coach, Kingswood-Oxford School

Scouting Report

Merritt emerged as a key player for KO this year thanks to his skill-set and basketball I.Q. His shot-making ability gives him a niche that should translate to the next level. He not only makes shots at a consistent rate but he has an equally good looking stroke with a nice release and follow through along with a soft, high-arcing ball. As a point guard, he's a heady passer who reads the game well and does an especially good job of looking up the floor and advancing the ball with the pass. 

Video Highlights

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