New London’s Porter, Benjamin make college decisions

NEW LONDON — Blaise Porter and Kade Benjamin are two names that have cemented a sports legacy at New London High School.

Both have now announced where their athletic excellence will take them beyond the high school courts and tracks of New London.

Porter and Benjamin both took to social media to make their college choices known last week.

Porter, one of the craftiest guards in the state, ends his recruitment talk with a verbal commitment to continue his basketball career at Truman State University, an NCAA Division II school in Kirksville, Missouri.

As for Benjamin, the reining Class 1A high jump state champion will continue his jumping career down south, competing for the Cowboys of Oklahoma State track and field team, while also focusing on his business education.

What a journey it’s been and what a career they’ve had.

Porter, who is also an AAU standout with the Iowa Barnstormers, has been as dominant as guards come in the area. He has been an all-conference, all-district and all-state selection over his three years at New London.

Porter has had a very efficient career.

After an injury put a damper on the beginning of his basketball season last year, the 6-foot point came back and showed out.

Porter helped the Tigers to a 20-3 overall, 15-1 conference record last season, while also finishing 17.5 points per game, 5.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. He shot 55.7 percent from the field, 44.6 percent from three and 73.6 percent from the foul line last season.

At Truman State, Porter will be joining head coach Jeff Horner, who knows what playing in Iowa is like.

Horner was a four-year starter at guard at the University of Iowa. Horner graduated from the University in 2006. Horner is second all-time in assists, 612, and in 3-pointers made, 262, at Iowa. He racked up 1,506 points while with the Hawkeyes as well.

Benjamin, much like Porter is a basketball star as well. Both play on the same Barnstormers AAU basketball team too.

This time last season, the 6-foot-6 all-conference and all-district big man was a highly touted basketball recruit.

A career on the hardwood seemed inevitable for Benjamin, but things change.

After what transpired over the course of his junior track and field season, another path opened wide.

Not only did Benjamin catapult to the top of the Class 1A high jump list with a state title, while also helping the Tigers win the Class 1A state team championship, he put his name on the list as one of the top jumpers across the entire state.

Benjamin won the state title with a jump of 6-7 and place fourth at the Drake Relays with a jump of 6-7 as well. That was far from him best jump of the season, as Benjamin cleared 6-9 to notch a career-best. That would have put him in a four-way tie with last year’s Drake Relays winners.

Benjamin will look to defend his title this season, while also helping New London get back into the state team title conversation as well.

While the future is bright for both the New London standouts, it’s basketball season up next. The Tigers open the 2022 campaign on Nov. 29 at Van Buren County.