Fifth-year senior Blake Preston has played in nearly 100 games during his Liberty career, but his role has continued to vary throughout his time with the Flames and sometimes even from game to game.
The 6’9″ big man began his career behind veterans Scottie James and Myo Baxter-Bell as Liberty began to transition from solid mid-major program to competing for and winning championships annually. During this time, Preston was able to develop his game and grow while not getting the spotlight during game action.
Preston would redshirt his true freshman season during 2018-19 as the Flames won their first of three straight ASUN Championships. The Charlotte, North Carolina native would be on the bench in San Jose for Liberty’s upset of 5-seed Mississippi State in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The following year, with James and Baxter-Bell seniors, Preston would play very limited minutes, averaging less than five minutes per contest while seeing action in just 14 of the team’s games.
He wouldn’t waste this time in a Liberty uniform though. Preston was challenging himself in practice against arguably the best tandem of big men the Flames’ have ever had as part of the same senior class. James and Baxter-Bell provided leadership and something for Blake to aspire towards.
During the 2020-21 season and with James and Baxter-Bell pursuing professional careers, Preston was able to step into the limelight. He would start 21 games and averaged career highs in scoring (9.0), rebounding (6.4), and minutes (18.0). Preston was not only one of the best players on the team he was arguably one of the best big men in the ASUN that season. He would score in double figures in 13 of 29 games and had four double-doubles on the season. It wasn’t rare for him to post 15 points and 6 boards on a given night.
It looked like head coach Ritchie McKay and the Flames had found their next man in the middle to build around for the duration of his career.
But that’s not what transpired.
After Liberty won a third straight conference championship and went to Indianapolis for the 2021 NCAA Tournament, Preston began the 2021-22 season as the team’s starting big man. As the season progressed though, Blake began to see his role decrease in the box score. His starts became more sporadic and his minutes decreased. There were games he would play single digit minutes and perhaps not even attempt a field goal in the game.
It wouldn’t have been a shock for Preston to decide to move on following last season. He had gotten married and had spent four years in the program. Instead, he decided to stick around and compete with his teammates for at least one more season.
“Playing basketball in this day and age, there is such a promotion of self and individualism that it’s hard to fight the narrative that comes from the outside,” said Coach McKay. “The way (he) has handled it has been exemplary.”
Preston joined Liberty as part of the same recruiting class that brought in Darius McGhee. The two have grown an incredible bond during their careers and they’re hopeful to help lead the Flames back to another conference title and Big Dance appearance after a one year hiatus.
While McGhee has risen to star status, winning ASUN Player of the Year each of the past two seasons, his classmate Preston has had a career of far less fan-fare.
Entering this year, Preston was once again searching for his role on the team. He began the season coming off the bench for the first 13 games. In Liberty’s first ASUN game of the season at Bellarmine, he played a season low 4 minutes.
In the team’s next game, Preston made his first start of the season. He hasn’t left the starting rotation since then, starting the past eight games. Over that time, Blake’s production has steadily increased. He is shooting 28 of 40 (70%) from the field in games that he has started and has scored in double figures in five of the seven games.
“I trust Blake,” McKay said of the senior. “He’s got a level of maturity, not just in his experience on the court and getting through adversity, but he’s got a peace on his life that I think is bringing a lot of joy to our locker room. He could very easily go the wrong direction, have a sense of entitlement or I’m not getting mine kind of disposition. Blake doesn’t do that. I love him to death because Blake is the same. Don’t get me wrong, everyone wants success individually, but Blake is the epitome of what we try and pursue – guys that care about being part of something bigger than themselves.”
Coach McKay has utilized a tandem in the post for much of conference play – beginning the game with Preston and also utilizing Shiloh Robinson. The two bring different facets to the game that opposing teams have to deal with.
“Blake brings something that no one else in the program does,” McKay said. “He has a level of physicality that is a really high level. Being able to adjust to the flow of the game and what the given need is is a luxury that we have and we try to capitalize on that.”
Being in the program and system for five years has allowed Preston to take the ebbs and flows that each game and each season presents. He’s enjoying his current string of production that is evident on the stat sheet, but ultimately he cares more about the team’s performance than his own.
“Every day is a gift,” Preston said. “Every chance is an opportunity, trying to embrace that. Every game is different. Every game is itself and every game is its own challenge.”
