By STEVE CARPENTER - Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team returned to the NJCAA Division I National Rankings on Tuesday with a preseason rank of No. 17.
A late-season tailspin during a 23-9 campaign last season caused the Blue Dragons to spend the final six weeks out of the national rankings after a run of 51-straight weeks in the poll.
The 2021 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball preseason rankings were released on Tuesday, ahead of Friday's long-awaited season opener against Seminole State at the Sports Arena.
Hutchinson is one of three Jayhawk Conference teams in the preseason rankings. Jayhawk East favorite Coffeyville is No. 10, Jayhawk West favorite Hutchinson is No. 17 and Cowley is No. 24. Hutchinson plays host to Coffeyville to open the Jayhawk Conference season next Wednesday at the Sports Arena.
John A. Logan College is the No. 1 team in the preseason rankings, followed by South Plains, Tallahassee, Indian Hills and Pearl River as teams 2 through 5.
This is the 10th consecutive season the Blue Dragons have been ranked in the NJCAA Preseason rankings.
The 2020 Blue Dragons tied for third in the Jayhawk West in 2020 and were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Region VI Tournament by Cowley.
Four players return from last season, including 2020 Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year Josh Baker, who averaged 13.8 points per game while shooting 49.4 percent from 3-point range. Also back are forward Majok Kuath (12.5 ppg), forward Matt Mayers (3.2 ppg) and guard Jade Okon (5.3 ppg).
Information Box
NJCAA DIVISION I MEN'S BASKETBALL<br>PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. John A. Logan (5)
2. South Plains
3. Tallahassee
4. Indian Hills
5. Pearl River
6. Gulf Coast State
7. Salt Lake
8. Florida Southwestern State
9. Vincennes University
10. Coffeyville
11. Navarro
12. College of Southern Idaho
13. Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa
14. Odessa
15. Shelton State
16. Western Wyoming
17. Hutchinson
18. Georgia Highlands
19. Harcum
20. Mineral Area
21. Moberly Area
22. Columbia Stat
23. Cochise
24. Cowley
25. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M