From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction High School graduates Paden Bennett and Justin Garretson will continue to be basketball teammates.

The 6-foot-1 Bennett and 5-10 Garretson signed letters-of-intent Friday afternoon to play at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

William Penn finished 28-6 last year and won the Midwest Collegiate Conference regular-season title for the third consecutive year and the league postseason tournament for the second straight year. William Penn set school records last season for victories (28), conference victories (13) and consecutive victories (12).

The Statesmen lost to Oklahoma Wesleyan 75-73 in the first round of the NAIA Division II Tournament in Point Lookout, Mo.

The Statesmen, who won 25 games in 2006-07, are 126-102 in seven years under head coach John Henry.

Bennett averaged 12.8 points per game and fired in a season-high 28 points against Aurora. He shot 43 percent from the field, 61 percent from the free-throw line. He also averaged 4.7 rebounds and had 82 assists and 71 steals.

Garretson scored a season-best 16 points against West Plains and averaged 5.8 points for the season, shooting 51 percent from the floor and 63 percent from the foul line. He also collected 31 assists and 48 steals and averaged 3.2 rebounds.

There’s already a Carl Junction connection on the William Penn Conference.

Todd Hafner, former CJHS football coach, is the Statesmen’s head coach. His brother, Aaron, is an assistant coach, and their father, Greg, is the athletics director and assistant coach.