Ben Bentil is headed to the Big East.
The 6-foot-8 Bentil out of Middletown (DE) St. Andrew’s announced Monday for Providence, choosing the Friars over St. Joe’s, Temple, Miami and UCLA.
“I’ve decided to go Providence college. ( FRIAR NATION) ,” he Tweeted.????????????
This is a nice pickup for head coach Ed Cooley after he and his staff missed out on Expessions Elite forward Abdul Malik Abu, who picked N.C. State over Providence, UConn and Florida.
Bentil is a powerful four man who can transition into a three.
He joins 7-1 center Paschal Chukwu and 6-7 wing Jalen Lindsey in Providence’s increasingly strong 2014 class.
“Ben Bentil is the perfect complement to Paschal Chukwu,” longtime New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski told SNY.tv. “He’ll be his enforcer. He defines the term power forward. He has a great body, very athletic. he’s got to flesh out his skillset. Right now he’s not a very skilled offensive player but he can rebound, he can defend, and he’s getting a 7-1 center. He’s the perfect complement to Chukwu. They’ll be a great inside tandem because he gives them what the other guy doesn’t have.
“He works extremely hard, he’s one of the hardest working players out there,” Bentil’s AAU coach, Terrell Myers, previously told SNY.tv.
“He can shoot the ball extremely well. He’s become a better passer. It’s him defending the perimeter. Being more of a defensive player on the perimeter at 6-8. That’s one of the thing she’s going to have to do at the next level. He’s a four-three, but as he develops I think he’s going to be a three because he’s a tough kid that doesn’t mind defending.
“He came over here as a raw five and you can see the work he’s put in in three years. With him working, I think he’s going to be a three for somebody’s team and really helping out.”
