Butler Men's Basketball lands four on All-KJCCC Team
After one of the best seasons in recent history, the Butler men's basketball team places four on the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference All-Conference team.
Grehlon Easter and Javaunte Hawkins received the nod as All-KJCCC Second Team while Marque English and Juwan White picked up All-KJCCC Honorable Mention Honors.
The Grizzlies finished with an overall record of 25-8 while going 15-5 in the KJCCC. They finished second in the KJCCC Eastern conference behind Cowley. They defeated No. 10 ranked Colby in the Region VI semifinal game in overtime and fell by two points in the Region VI Championship to Coffeyville.
"I am extremely happy for the four players selected for All-conference honors," commented first year head coach Kyle Fisher. "They are all very deserving and did a great job throughout the season. I am glad the coaches of the KJCCC recognized them for all their talent and effort."
Grehlon Easter, sophomore guard from Little Rock, Arkansas, started all 33 games this season and led the team in scoring this season averaging 14.8 points per game on 41% shooting. Easter led the KJCCC in free throws made with 177 while shooting an 82.3 average. Easter grabbed 3.3 rebounds per game and dished out an average of 1.8 assists per game. He finished sixth overall in total points scored this season in the KJCCC with 341 points, 520 total on the year.
Javaunte Hawkins, freshman point-guard from Lee's Summit, Missouri, was the glue of the Butler offense. From the point-guard position, Hawkins managed the court offensively for Butler and was the Grizzlies second leading scorer on the year averaging 14.2ppg. He averaged the most minutes played this year averaging just under 32 minutes per game. Hawkins was letha from outside the arc hitting clutch threes while also being able to get to the rim any time he wanted. He shot it 36% from outside the arc and 86.2% from the free throw line. Hawkins averaged three assists per game and 1.6 steals per game during the season.
Juwan White, sophomore guard from Dacula, Georgia, returns to the All-Conference list after earning second team honors a season ago. White averaged 10.7ppg this season while shooting nearly 40% from three-point range. White also averaged 3.1 rebounds per game and 1.9 assists.
Marque English, freshman forward from Pittsburg, Kansas, was the garbage man inside for Butler this season. He led the team in rebounding with 6.2 rebounds per game while also chalking up 11.5 points per game and totaled three double doubles this season. While English was a strong body inside that could finish at the rim, he was also the deadliest outside shooter for the Grizzlies in regard to 3PT%. English shot 42.7% from outside the arc and was an 81.5% free throw shooter. Marque played in 32 of Butler's 33 games and started all that he played in.
"To have four players make the list, in a conference that is loaded with talent, we are all very proud of them," said Fisher.
Butler capped off the winningest season since 2014-15 as they posted 25 wins and just eight losses and making it to the Region VI Championship game. They defeated more NJCAA Top 15 teams than any other team in the country defeating No. 10 Colby in the Region VI semifinal round snapping their 12-game win streak. They defeated No. 5 Cowley and snapped their 12-game win streak while also defeating No. 2 Hutchinson, again, snapping their 11-game win streak. Butler defeated No. 12 Moberly on a neutral floor and defeated RV Allen when they were first place in the KJCCC East in January.