SCOTT DEPOT - As Hargrave Military Academy and Huntington Prep flew up and down the court in an exhibition fit for an overcrowded gym, there was one center of attention.
Emphasis on "center."
The first 10 points in Hargrave's 111-103 victory came from the big, big man inside, Iran Bennett. That brought immediate smiles from the green-clad Marshall fans who popped in at Teays Valley Christian School.
As well it should have.
Bennett finished with 27 points in a game played the day after the 6-foot-10, 320-pounder signed to play for the Thundering Herd. He showed that while he still has a way to go to get into the required condition, he's got the tools to wreak havoc in Conference USA.
And he has the personality to be an immediate hit in Huntington.
"He's just a different guy, but the thing about him is he's the best kid in the world," said Hargrave coach A.W. Hamilton. "He's smiling and happy-go-lucky. Marshall fans are going to absolutely love him. He's a big ol' teddy bear."
The North Carolina native is big all right. On signing day, MU coach Dan D'Antoni said, "I would say Iran is Shaq-like." Having coached on the Los Angeles Lakers' staff, D'Antoni certainly knows O'Neal.
Bennett will fit in the pick-and-roll nicely, and he has big, soft hands that can catch any lob. He showed brute force in drawing one three-point play, and he can certainly dunk.
But he also can maneuver to put the ball up in traffic, and do it with either hand. That impressed me as much as anything.
"He's actually better with his left, and he's right-handed," Hamilton said. "And he's a great free-throw shooter, shoots about 74 percent from the free-throw line. He's just so explosive - when you look at him, you don't think he's going to be like that. But he's a dunking machine now."
The Hargrave program has taken 65 pounds off the big man and may not be done. Bennett struggles at times running the floor, but that will be taken care of before his MU debut.
In the D'Antoni system, that's just about a statement of fact. And Bennett will be able to expand his skills, because he will be called on to do much more than catch the ball in the post and score down low. (Actually, there is not much post play in the D'Antoni system.)
The more he can develop - and do it with a smile - the more fans in Huntington will love him and the more attention he will draw from scouts.
"I think when he does, I think he's got a chance to play in the NBA, because there's just not guys like that," Hamilton said. "If you think about Conference USA, there's not guys like that in that league, there really isn't. So he'll be able to dominate the game in that league.
"And what he gives Marshall is a guy, when they play a high-major team, they have something that looks like what they have. So they can complete with that level of team."
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Hamilton said MU's other Hargrave signee, 6-8 Tanner Robinette, is battling injury.
"The biggest thing we're trying to do with Tanner is to get him into great shape," Hamilton said. "But Tanner's going to be good because he's great in the low post, he's got great touch around the basket and he's a good free-throw shooter. Now, he's going to, one day, be able to play power forward.
"Where Iran's going to be more of a 'five,' Tanner can one day develop into a power forward and be really good in Dan's system."
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I cannot end this without a salute to Hamilton, who played for Marshall from 2002-05. He is 10th on the school's all-time career list in assists (411), 13th in 3-point percentage (.386) and 20th in steals (107).
After his playing days, Hamilton served as graduate assistant under Ron Jirsa, then went to Hargrave to coach under Kevin Keatts. When Keatts left, Hamilton was left the keys to the kingdom, and he has preserved the school's hoops heritage nicely.
He is in his 11th year at Hargrave, sixth as head coach. Last season, the Tigers went 47-1 and won the National Prep Championship.
But that's not what makes Hamilton successful and self-fulfilled.
"I tell people this all the time: It's the best job the country, because yesterday, signing day, I have 10 guys sign full Division I scholarships, $1.7 million worth of scholarship money," he said. "And I've got six other guys on my team who are going to sign full scholarships.
"It's unbelievable to watch these guys come in and accomplish their dream and move on to the next level."
Contact Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsmock@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @dougsmock and read his blog at http://blogs.wvgazettemail.com/dougsmock/.