ECK ERA CLOSES WITH LOSS IN NJCAA 2ND ROUND

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The end of the 2021 Hutchinson Community College men's basketball season on Tuesday also meant the end of an incredible 12-year run by Blue Dragon head coach Steve Eck.

Trailing by 10 with 3:18 to play, the Blue Dragons tried to extend the Eck era one more game with a furious late rally against top-seeded Mineral Area in the second round of the 2021 NJCAA Tournament. The Blue Dragons got the game to one possession, but couldn't complete the rally as the Cardinals eliminated the Blue Dragons 80-77 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

The Jayhawk West champion and Region VI runner-up Blue Dragons end the season at 19-7.

For Eck, who announced last week he was stepping down after the NJCAA Tournament run, his final record at Hutchinson over 12 seasons (2009-2021) is 328-76, the most wins in Blue Dragon history. His NJCAA record is 650-128. His record as a Jayhawk Conference coach is 468-105. Those 468 victories rank No. 3 in KJCCC coaching history and No. 5 in Region VI coaching history.

The Blue Dragons complete their 22nd appearance in the NJCAA Tournament 1-1. The Dragons defeated Kilgore 95-86 in the opening round on Monday to become only the fifth team in tournament history to win 50 games. Mineral Area captured its first-ever NJCAA Tournament victory on Tuesday. The Cardinals will now play the eighth-seeded Cowley Tigers at 2 p.m. on Thursday in the quarterfinal round.

Sophomore Stephan Gabriel carried the Blue Dragons on Tuesday with a career-high 27 points. Gabriel was a career-best 12 of 15 shooting with a career-high three 3-pointers. Gabriel also tied for team-high eight rebounds.

Josh Baker had 19 points, hitting 3 of 7 from 3-point range. With 114 career 3-pointers, Baker tied Modibo Niakate for seventh on the Blue Dragon career 3-point list. Majok Kuath had 13 points, eight rebounds and a career-high four steals.

The Blue Dragons shot 55.6 percent (30 of 54), hitting 9 of 13 from 3-point range and 8 of 11 from the free-throw line. Hutch had a 27-26 rebounding advantage.

Malevy Leons had 21 points to lead four Mineral Area players in double figures. Leons had a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Terrion Murdix had 16 points.

The Cardinals hit 54.0 percent (34 of 63) for the game, hitting 6 of 13 from 3-point range and 6 of 10 from the free-throw line.

The Blue Dragons faced an uphill battle all day against Mineral Area (24-0). The Cardinals jumped out to an 18-5 lead just 4 minutes, 36 seconds into the game. Still trailing by 10, the Blue Dragons fought back to take the lead on a Josh Baker 3-pointer with 6:35 to play that capped a 17-6 run for a 27-26 lead.

Mineral Area answered with a 14-6 run to take a seven-point lead. Kuath scored with 21 seconds to play to cut the Mineral Area halftime lead to 40-35.

Turnovers were an issue all game for the Blue Dragons. Against Mineral Area's nation-leading scoring defense, Hutchinson committed 22 turnovers. The Cardinals scored 22 points from those Dragon miscues. Mineral Area had 14 steals against Hutchinson.

Hutchinson's deficit fluctuated between five and nine points for the first 7 1/2 minutes. A Gabriel layup with 11:16 to go cut the MAC lead to 55-54. Hutch had seven possessions to either tie for take the lead after and came up empty each time. Mineral Area then went on a 14-6 run to lead 76-66 on a Leons bucket with 3:18 left.

The Dragons cut that deficit in half with a Baker 3-pointer at the 1:59 mark. Two Baker free-throws cut the lead to 78-75 and a Gabriel dunk after a Robinson steal pulled the Dragons within 87-77 with 1 minute to play.

The Dragons got a defensive stop, but a turnover with 17 seconds left led ty a Kevin Stone layup to give the Cardinals an 80-77 lead with 12 seconds to go. Baker's 3-point attempt with eight seconds left was off the match and the Cardinals secured the rebound to end the game.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 50-26 in 22 NJCAA Tournament appearances, including 3-3 in the second round. … Hutchinson is 10-5 in the NJCAA Tournament under head coach Steve Eck. … This as the eighth time this season that the Blue Dragons shot 50 percent in a game. … Mineral Area was only the second team to shoot 50 percent against Hutchinson this season. Both times happened in the NJCAA Tournament. … C.J. Robinson had eight assists, the third time this season he has had eight or more assists.