NEW-LOOK BLUE DRAGONS SET TO OPEN NEW SEASON
By Steve Carpenter
Hutchinson CC Sports Information Director
For the second-straight season, Hutchinson Community College men's basketball head coach Kyle Fisher has only one player from returning from the previous season.
Fisher said that is the trend in college basketball today.
"Replacing so many players is becoming the norm," said Fisher, whose 2025-26 Blue Dragons open the season this weekend in Sedalia, Missouri at the State Fair Classic. "Where instead of replacing 50 to 55 percent of your roster, you are replacing sometimes 95 percent. That's just the nature of college basketball right now."
BLUE DRAGON MEN'S BASKETBALL
Hutchinson at State Fair Classic
At: Davis Multipurpose Center, Sedalia, MO
Friday Opponent: State Fair CC – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday Opponent: NEO – 3 p.m.
Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9), 7:15 p.m.; 2:45 p.m. – Brice Kessler (PBP)
Video: State Fair YouTube Channel (free video)
X: @bluedragonsport
CLICK FOR BLUE DRAGON GAME NOTES (PDF Format)
Only forward Bobby Cannon returns from last year for Fisher, who has seven transfers and eight freshman on the roster when Hutchinson opens the season with Classic host State Fair at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and NEO at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Last season in Fisher's first season, the Blue Dragons went 19-12 overall, finished fourth in the Jayhawk Conference and saw their season end in the Region 6 quarterfinals.
Cannon was the fourth-leading scorer and leading rebounder in 2024-25. He averaged 10.8 points while shooting 41.7 percent from the floor. Cannon also averaged 6.2 rebounds and was one of the top shot blockers in the nation last season with 73 rejections.
"We are very happy to have Bobby back," Fisher said. "He certainly makes our offense better just having the experience of how we play.
The group of seven transfers for the 2025-26 Blue Dragons are made up of six NCAA Division I and one NJCAA transfer. Fisher is very high on this group and likes the way they have grasped his system and philosophy.
"The transfers have been great," Fisher said. "We have a variety of experiences, some have played a lot and some haven't played as much. All are wanting to get better and they want to win, which is why it will work for them here."
Looking at the makeup of the 2025-26 Blue Dragons, sophomore transfer Lolo Rudolph (Cal-State Fullerton) will lead the team at the point. He averaged 2.7 points and 1.9 assists last season.
"Lolo is a high-character kid who gives great effort all the time," Fisher said of Rudolph. "He is also an elite defender, so we will have him leading the charge for us."
Freshman Kordell Williams will back up Rudolph.
Three transfers will be at the 2-guard position. Fisher has liked what he has seen from Daleron Thomas (Iowa Western), Anthony Alston (Appalachian State) and Dilen Miller (Robert Morris).
Maryland-Eastern Shore transfer Kyrell Shaw averaged 7.0 points per game last season. He will work at the 3-guard spot.
Inside, the Blue Dragons will be led by Cannon, Jonathan Ogunfuye (Mount St. Mary's University) and freshman Chudier Dorar.
"Our depth is great," Fisher said. "I think our forwards are much better and much improved. We've got good depth there. I think we have five guys who can play (in the post). We have a number of good yards we feel we can go to, which will be really important because the guys now know they have to earn everything.
"If they aren't doing what we need them to do, then the next guy will be ready to go.
The Blue Dragons open their 95th season this weekend as a team receiving votes in the NJCAA Division I preseason rankings and they were picked to finish picked to finish fourth in a deep Jayhawk Conference.
The Blue Dragons open the home schedule at 7 p.m. on Tuesday against Metropolitan Community College before playing host to Southwest Christian and Lamar in the BSN Sports Tipoff Classic next weekend at the Sports Arena.