TXST Release:
SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State men’s basketball head coach Terrence Johnson announced the addition of five to the roster for the 2023-24 season. Three of the newcomers are Division I transfers along with one junior college transfer who has multiple years of D1 experience.
Joining the Bobcats are Coleton Benson, Ryan Bolton, Chris Nix, Josh O’Garro and Christian Turner. They join Kaden Gumbs, Dontae Horne and Elijah Tate, who all signed back in November.
“We’re excited about this new era of Bobcat Basketball. We have a number of new guys that bring a wealth of experience and a diversified skill set,” said Johnson.
Coleton Benson
G | 6-1 | 170
Austin, Texas | James Bowie HS | Army West Point
Benson arrives in San Marcos after playing last season at Army West Point and will have three years of eligibility remaining. The Austin native averaged 11.6 ppg on 43.6% shooting. He knocked down 71-of-194 (37.1%) three-pointers and was 74-of-91 (81.3%) at the free throw line as well.
He recorded 20 double-digit scoring games for the Black Knights and surpassed 20 points five times including a season-high 24 at Colgate in the Patriot League semifinals.
Along with his scoring prowess, Benson averaged 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while also being credited with 18 steals.
Benson prepped at James Bowie High School where he was coached by former Bobcat head coach and player Celester Collier. As a senior, he put up 23.6 ppg as a senior and set the school’s all-time scoring record.
Johnson on Benson: “Coleton is a local product returning home to Central Texas to represent the Bobcats. He is a knock down shooter with supreme confidence to make big plays. His ability to stretch the floor and make plays off the bounce gives our team a chance to compete every night.”
Ryan Bolton
F | 6-10 | 230
Waller, Texas | Legacy School of Sport Sciences
Bolton is a true freshman out of Waller, Texas. He graduated from Legacy School of Sport Sciences where he helped lead the team to a CIBA Tournament title. The future Bobcats was also an All-CIBA Second Team selection this past season.
Johnson on Bolton: “Ryan is a young post with a wealth of potential and is a promising prospect. He’s a big post presence that is still learning the ins and outs of Division I college basketball. We’re excited about the process and his development.”
Chris Nix
F | 6-9 | 220
Nashville, Tenn. | Hillwood HS | Columbia State CC | UT Martin
Nix played the past two seasons at UT Martin where he played in 61 games and made 53 starts. The big man averaged 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest in his time with the Skyhawks. He made 54.0% of his shot attempts and totaled 54 blocks and 32 steals.
The Bellevue, Tennessee native played two seasons at Columbia State Community College in Columbia, Tennessee where he was a back-to-back all-conference selection. His sophomore campaign saw him average team-highs of 11.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 61.7% from the field. That came after putting up 8.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 2.1 bpg as a freshman.
Nix prepped at Hillwood High School, where he was named the District 12-AAA Player of the Year and All-Midstate Second Team in 2017-18. During his senior season, he averaged 19 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three blocks per game.
Johnson on Nix: “Chris is an experienced fifth-year veteran that’s a proven player at this level. He’s a reliable post defender and rebounder that should provide a solid offensive post presence for us.”
Josh O’Garro
G | 6-6 |175
Georgetown, Cayman Islands | Colby CC | San Jose State | Oklahoma | Santa Clarita Christian HS
O’Garro is coming off a season in which he led Colby Community College in scoring at 20.1 ppg while shooting 48.5% (225-of-464) from the field. He also made 72.9% of his free throw attempts and knocked down 29 three-pointers. The soon to be Bobcat also averaged 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 steals per contest.
The 2021-22 season saw O’Garro play in 23 games off the bench at San Jose State. He twice scored in double-figures with a season-high 11 points coming on a 4-for-7 night form the field while also grabbing four rebounds in 15 minutes at Texas. He would also net 10 points in 10 minutes against Colorado State.
O’Garro began his collegiate career at Oklahoma in the 2020-21 campaign. He made two appearances with his collegiate debuting coming against Houston Christian.
Coming out of Santa Clarita Christian High School, O’Garro was a four-start prospect according to 247Sports. The 2019-20 season saw him average 17.6 ppg 5.2 rpg, 3.4 apg and 2.4 spg. That season saw him be named to the California Division 2 All-State First Team and All-CIF Southern Section First Team. As a sophomore, O’Garro scored 13.2 ppg to go along with 3.5 rpg and 1.6 spg on his way to being an All-CIF Section Second Team and All-Heritage League Second Team selection.
Johnson on O’Garro: “Josh is the ultimate glue guy and impacts winning at a high level. He’s a proven scorer and defender. His length and athleticism will definitely help our team in those areas.”
Christian Turner
F | 6-7 | 220
Grand Prairie, Texas | South Grand Prairie HS | Troy
Turner comes to San Marcos after playing the last three years at fellow Sun Belt Conference member Troy but has two years of eligibility remaining. In his three years with the Trojans, he played in 92 games and made 25 starts while recording 3.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
This past season saw him contribute 5.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 1.1 apg while adding 31 steals and 11 blocks in as he played in all 33 games and made 25 starts. He made 63-of-136 (46.3%) field goal attempts and knocked down 13 three-pointers.
A native of Grand Prairie, Texas, he graduated from South Grand Prairie High School where he played for head coach Brandon Bennett. Turner was named the 2019 District 7-6A Defensive Player of the Year while averaging 14.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest. He was named the District 7-6A Sophomore of the Year and was a TABC 6A All-Region Team selection.
Johnson on Turner: “Christian is a versatile big that has a high basketball IQ and skill set. He’s been a starter in this league and is expecting to make an immediate impact.”
