Warriors place Bender, Branson on All-GSAC team

Westmont senior Blake Bender from Anaheim Hills and sophomore Preston Branson of Dallas, Texas have been named to the 2010-11 Golden State Athletic Conference All-Men’s Basketball team.

Bender led the GSAC in rebounding, averaging 9.52 boards per game (tenth in the NAIA). He also ranked tenth in the GSAC in scoring, averaging 13.1 points per game and has more double-doubles (13) than anyone else in the GSAC. Bender ranks sixth in the GSAC in steals having pilfered the ball an average of 1.62 times per game.

“Blake has grown as much as any player in the 23 years I have been coaching,” said Westmont head coach John Moore. “Blake has become the heart and soul of our team. He is the guy who wants to help carry this team with his intensity and competitive spirit.

“Blake’s collegiate experience is why we do this thing called college athletics. It is intended to be a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior year experience. So many of these NBA guys who choose to go to college for a year or two miss out on the growth that is caused in college. Blake is a perfect example. The maturity that he has is mostly because of his willingness to understand the growth piece.

“The thing that Blake did between his junior and senior year is to take ownership. With Danny (Rasp) and Evan (Haines) being injured, he was often the only senior on the court.”

Branson is the GSAC’s top scorer, averaging 17.4 points per game. He is second in the GSAC in free throw accuracy, having made 84.9% of his attempts from the charity stripe (146 of 172).

“Preston may be the most competitive player I have ever coached,” said Moore. “He is a strong, tenacious competitor. He has an incredible will to succeed. The two most competitive athletes in our program right now are the ones that are achieving at the highest level.

“Preston has become the model for me for how to get from your freshman year to your sophomore year. He is an example of a tenacious work effort and it built confidence into who he is. He has an incredible will to compete and to win.  He plays with great maturity and a zest for succeeding. There is a reason he won a (Texas) state championship and finished his final game in high school with a net around his neck.”

Branson, Bender and the Warriors begin Golden State Athletic Tournament play on Thursday night when Westmont hosts Fresno Pacific at Murchison Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.