Benson joins the Thunderbirds

One new addition to the Merritt College basketball program is Alfonso "AJ" Benson, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard out of southern California. He played at Pacific Hills School and earlier at Artesia High and his connection to the Thunderbird program is his father Alfonso having trained with former Merritt Head Coach Maurice Compton.

Asked to detail his best basketball skills, Benson modestly offered, "handling the ball, playing defense, and playing hard."

However, such is not the totality of his hoops story for it's a fascinating road he traveled, one complete with an overabundance of stop signs, that is simply compelling.

Benson participated in soccer, basketball and boxing as a youngster. Why the latter? "I was kind of little to play basketball and boxing and soccer was something my friends were into." Benson measured 5-foot-1 as a ninth grader. Add in being Filipino and school just wasn't a look-forward-to situation.    

However, an upward spurt intervened. "I grew seven inches in one year. My relatives saw me and said 'oh my goodness, what have you been eating? And I eventually kept growing up until the height I am now.”

"I'm still in the process of learning a lot. Things aren't perfect and it's a matter of learning how to deal with it and knowing that my day will come as long as I don't let the naysayers and my failures identify who I am.”

But what he encountered as a youngster produced a "chip on my shoulder. It instilled a fire in me."

About his move from Artesia to Pacific Hills -- "it was so different for me. Their standards were much higher than to what I was used to at Artesia."

What Benson also learned is "some people don't want you to succeed depending on where you come from. I was cut in ninth grade from Los Alamitos. I was cut by seven AAU teams. That really tore me apart inside, but after those experiences, I kept going and I realized my game got better because what I faced got me better in both my mental and physical part of my life.”

He's gone up against talents like Ty Lawson, Derrick Thornton, Noah Robotham, Stephen Zimmerman, Gabe York, Stanley Johnson and a lot of other household names. "I did well against them and it helped gave confidence despite what people said about my game. Many times coaches didn't want to work with me because I wasn’t known. Even my high school coach didn't believe in me. It's like it's all about talent with them. That only made me work harder and try and prove them wrong, but most importantly, prove it to myself.”

Now he is insistent. "I want to be with a group of people who stand for the same things I stand for. I like to work hard and be pushed. I'm a responsible young man who is trying to find someone who cares about me as a player and person."

As a Thunderbird, Benson is also seeking a trip to the Final Four and a state championship. His time so far with his teammates has produced this reaction: "we're not jerks, we get along well. I love the guys I have met and appreciate them and I look forward to playing with them in the season."

Merritt Coach Keenan McMiller had this to day about his newcomer: "AJ is young man with a great work ethic and a genuine heart. He will make major impact this season. Standing 6-foot-4, 190, AJ is an extremely skilled ball handler, tremendous defender, solid shooter and playmaker. He will do whatever is required to win. AJ is a hardworking student who is a pleasure to coach and be around. I look forward to coaching him this season."