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Former Flame Preston Inks First Pro Contract in Japan
7/12/2024 10:07:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Former Liberty Flames men's basketball player Blake Preston has signed his first professional contract with Yamaguchi Pats Five in Japan.
"Liberty definitely prepared me to be ready for the pro level in my approach to the game," Preston said. "I'm grateful for who Coach McKay and the staff shaped me to be during my time there and got everything out of my time in the program that a player could dream of."
Yamaguchi Pats Five is based in Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan. The team competes in the Japan B3-League.
Preston, a forward from Charlotte, N.C., played for Liberty for four seasons (2019-13) and helped the Flames to two ASUN titles (2020, 2021), three regular season crowns (2020, 2021, 2023) and a divisional title (2022). Preston appeared in 109 games with 51 starts, averaging 6.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for his career. He shot 61.8 percent from the field, the third best field goal percentage in Liberty men's basketball history.
During the 2020-21 season, Preston averaged 9.0 ppg and a team-leading 6.4 rpg. During his final season (2022-23), the forward averaged 6.7 ppg on 66.0 percent shooting and a team-high 5.1 rpg. Preston notched seven double-doubles as a Flame and scored a career-high 18 points against FGCU on Feb. 23, 2022.
Preston finished his time at Liberty with 535 career rebounds, good for 18th most in school history, and 713 points, tied for 50th most in program history.
Preston played his final season (2023-24) for the Northwestern Wildcats, appearing in 28 games. He averaged 2.1 ppg and 2.0 rpg for the Wildcats, who finished the year with a 22-12 mark. Preston and Northwestern topped 2023 NCAA Final Four participant Florida Atlantic in the Round of 64 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion UConn in the Round of 32.
"Liberty definitely prepared me to be ready for the pro level in my approach to the game," Preston said. "I'm grateful for who Coach McKay and the staff shaped me to be during my time there and got everything out of my time in the program that a player could dream of."
Yamaguchi Pats Five is based in Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan. The team competes in the Japan B3-League.
Preston, a forward from Charlotte, N.C., played for Liberty for four seasons (2019-13) and helped the Flames to two ASUN titles (2020, 2021), three regular season crowns (2020, 2021, 2023) and a divisional title (2022). Preston appeared in 109 games with 51 starts, averaging 6.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for his career. He shot 61.8 percent from the field, the third best field goal percentage in Liberty men's basketball history.
During the 2020-21 season, Preston averaged 9.0 ppg and a team-leading 6.4 rpg. During his final season (2022-23), the forward averaged 6.7 ppg on 66.0 percent shooting and a team-high 5.1 rpg. Preston notched seven double-doubles as a Flame and scored a career-high 18 points against FGCU on Feb. 23, 2022.
Preston finished his time at Liberty with 535 career rebounds, good for 18th most in school history, and 713 points, tied for 50th most in program history.
Preston played his final season (2023-24) for the Northwestern Wildcats, appearing in 28 games. He averaged 2.1 ppg and 2.0 rpg for the Wildcats, who finished the year with a 22-12 mark. Preston and Northwestern topped 2023 NCAA Final Four participant Florida Atlantic in the Round of 64 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion UConn in the Round of 32.
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