Preston Phillips’ basketball journey has contained its fair share of twists and turns.
Now, it will take the former Jimtown High School and Bethel University star all the way out to the West Coast for one final season on the hardwood.
Phillips, who played the past two seasons in Mishawaka for the Pilots, is headed to California to play for Pepperdine University. The Waves are members of the West Coast Conference, which includes the likes of Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s.
“I’m blessed and excited about this amazing opportunity,” said Phillips in a phone interview Saturday. “It’s awesome to get to play more basketball. I’m ready to get out there.”
Phillips, a versatile 6-8 forward, averaged 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game to help Bethel go 24-9 overall and 14-4 in the loaded Crossroads League during this past campaign. He finished his Bethel career with a career high 28 points in an 83-78 overtime loss to No. 2 LSU Alexandria in a Sweet 16 game of the NAIA National Tournament on March 21. He hit a 3-pointer to send the game into overtime. Phillips shot 43 percent from distance, going 30-of-69 from 3-point land.
“Two months ago, I thought I was done playing basketball,” recounted Phillips. “I already have my master’s degree and was looking for a job. Then I looked at playing one more season, which I can do at the Division 1 level, and it worked out. It’s been a crazy turnaround.”
Pepperdine, which is coached by Ed Schilling saw game tape of Phillips and offered him a spot on its roster.
“They are good people,” said Phillips of the Pepperdine coaching staff. “They believe in Christian values and Ed is an amazing coach. They are also familiar with Indiana.”
Schilling guided the Waves to a 13-22 overall mark in his first season during the 2024-25 campaign. He has deep ties to the Hoosier State, serving as a former assistant coach at Indiana University and as a high school head coach at Park Tudor, Western Boone and Logansport high schools in Indiana.
Bethel coach Steve Drabyn knows what a valuable player the Waves are getting in Phillips, who played two years at the University of Evansville prior to coming to Bethel.
“Preston is an unselfish, team player who will do what his team needs,” said Drabyn, himself a former star guard at both LaPorte High School and Belmont University in Tennessee. “He has point guard ability at 6-8 because of his passing ability.
“He’s a well-rounded, versatile player. He can make the three. He can shoot it. We tried to get him to shoot the three even more. He’s been challenged every night in our league because it’s so good. He will not be surprised by anything, and he will compete.”
Phillips was just 5-9 when he started his prep career at Jimtown, where he was a point guard. He led the Jimmies in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocked shots as a senior in the 2019-20 season when the team went 17-8 and were sectional runner-up. He then attended the Don Bosco Institute, a prep school in Crown Point. Phillips was all-conference in both basketball and tennis at Jimtown.
“They (Pepperdine) see me as a 4-man who can shoot it and stretch the defense,” Phillips said. “I’m 22, but I have not maxed out my potential. I’m an older guy now who has been around the block. I’ve seen it all and done it all.
“I’m a great leader and a great locker room guy.”
Phillips, who missed a month of this past season due to a Grade 2 MCL strain, is healthy now. He has been in the gym once or twice a day of late back home working on his game in preparation of heading out west likely in mid-May.
Phillips, also a strong student in the classroom, was grateful of his time back home playing for the tradition-rich Pilots.
“They are winners at Bethel,” said Phillips, who had just completed a workout prior to his phone interview. “They helped me flourish and grow as a person.”
Drabyn praised the impact that Phillips had as a person during his time playing for the Pilots.
“Preston is just fun to be around,” Drabyn noted. “He grew a ton off the floor in his time here. It was so cool to see him mature and make an impact on others in a big way.
“I’m happy for him and super proud of him. He deserves this.”
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