AURORA | A profile look at Gateway senior Taylor Bender, who is set to play for Team East in the second A-Town All-Star Girls Game set for Friday, March 16, 2018, at Rangeview High School. The girls game is scheduled for 5 p.m.:
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports
TAYLOR BENDER
School: Gateway High School
Year: Senior
Height: 5-foot-9
2017-18 averages: 8.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.3 blocked shots per game
Season highlights: Bender wasn’t out for the team when the season first started, but coach Tammi Traylor-Statewright was glad when she arrived and contributed significantly during a 4-18 season. A first team All-East Metro Athletic Conference selection, Bender led her team in scoring at 8.8 points per game — including a season-high of 22 points in a win over Westminster — as she showed a deft touch from 3-point range despite having the size of an inside player. Bender, who also averaged 7.4 rebounds per game and 2.3 blocked shots, is a first-time A-Town All-Star Game selection.
Bender vs. Aurora teams: vs. Cherokee Trail (9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocked shots); vs. Hinkley (13 points, 4 blocked shots; 6 points, 14 rebounds); vs. Aurora Central (10 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals); vs. Rangeview (13 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocked shots)