BLUE DRAGON MEN PRESEASON PICK TO WIN KJCCC

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College Men's Basketball team has been tapped as the preseason favorite to win the 2022-23 Jayhawk Conference championship this season.

The league's annual Preseason Coaches' Poll was released on Friday with the Blue Dragons at the top of the list. This is the first time the Dragons have been a preseason pick to win the league since the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season. Last season, the Blue Dragons were picked fifth in the preseason coaches' poll.

Hutchinson, Butler, Coffeyville, Garden City and Cowley are the top five teams in the preseason coaches' coach.

For the second-straight season, the Jayhawk Conference is a 13-team one-division league with the entire league playing a double round-robin schedule.

The Blue Dragons will open the season at home on Tuesday, November 1 against Fort Scott at 7:30 p.m. The Blue Dragons will then play Triton College and NEO in the BSN Tip-Off Classic on November 4-5 at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons will also play host to the Papa Jones Blue Dragon Preseason Jamboree on Sunday, November 23 at the Sports Arena.

Beginning his second season, Blue Dragon head coach Tommy DeSalme returns four players from a 26-9 team that was a Jayhawk Conference and Region VI runner-up and made it to the second round of the NJCAA Tournament.

Guard Jayden Garrison saw the most action last season for the Dragons. Garrison averaged 3.9 points and shot 34.4 percent from 3-point range last season. He will be joined by guard Aaron Franklin, who played only five games before being lost for the season with an injury. Franklin averaged 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Also back are guards Trey McClure and Ra'Sean Frederick, who was lost to a season-ending injury during the preseason last year.