Whitlock named MVP/Newcomer of the Year; Jackson nabs Coach of the Year honors

The Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference has announced the 2024-25 KJCCC D1 Men's Basketball All-KJCCC teams and winners of the major postseason honors. The awards, which were voted on by each of the league head coaches, include four individuals bringing home major accolades.

Major award winners from the 2024-25 regular season are Most Valuable Player and Newcomer of the Year Marcus Whitlock Jr. (Cowley), Freshman of the Year Eternity Eguagie (Colby), Defensive Player of the Year Emeka Opurum (Butler), and Coach of the Year Donnie Jackson (Cowley).

"With his ability to shoot the ball and versatility defensively make him very deserving of this honor," Cowley head coach Donnie Jackson said. "He has been our most consistent scorer and I am proud he was able to earn Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors."

Most Valuable Player/Newcomer of the Year: Marcus Whitlock Jr. (Cowley)

Doubling up on postseason awards, Whitlock Jr. was an integral piece to Cowley's KJCCC regular season and NJCAA Region 6 Tournament title as the Tigers will play in the NJCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball National Tournament for a second-straight season. Averaging 16.0 points per game, Whitlock Jr. shot over 47 percent from the field and over 42 percent from beyond the arc while grabbing 4.1 rebounds per game and recording a 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Defensively, Whitlock Jr. added 28 total blocks and had 56 steals (fifth-best in KJCCC) while upping his numbers to 17.0 points, 1.3 assists, and 0.9 blocks per game during conference play. Nationally, Whitlock Jr. ranked 13th in made three-point field goals and 27th in total minutes played (985).

Freshman of the Year: Eternity Eguagie (Colby)

Eguagie put together a high-level freshman campaign by ranking fourth in the KJCCC in points per game (18.3) while shooting over 50 percent from the floor while helping Colby to a sixth-place finish in the KJCCC regular season standings after the Trojans finished 12th the previous season. Averaging 32.1 minutes played per game, Eguagie grabbed 6.5 rebounds per game and had 29 games with at least 10 points this season, including a career-best 32 in a double-overtime win at Pratt on February 15th.

Defensive Player of the Year: Emeka Opurum (Butler)

Opurum led the KJCCC this season in blocks (87) while ranking fourth in rebounds per game (8.1) in addition to helping Butler rank fourth in the KJCCC in points per game allowed this season (73.4). With Opurum in the lineup, opponents shot only 39.7 percent against the Grizzlies and turned the ball over 14.4 times per contest as Butler finished fifth in the KJCCC regular season and advanced to the NJCAA Region 6 Tournament semifinals. Nationally, Opurum ranked 14th in the NJCAA with 2.6 blocks per game and sixth in total blocks.

Coach of the Year: Donnie Jackson (Cowley)

Jackson led Cowley to their first Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference regular season title and NJCAA Region 6 Tournament Championship since 2021 as the Tigers went 26-4 in the regular season and 21-3 in the KJCCC before adding three more wins in the postseason to earn the NJCAA Plains District automatic berth to the 2025 NJCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball National Tournament in Hutchinson. Cowley earned the number two overall seed in the National Tournament and has been consistently ranked in the top 10 of the NJCAA Division 1 men's basketball top 25 poll this season while ranking in the top three in the conference in field goal percentage, free-throw percentage, assists per game, steals per game, blocks per game, and points per game allowed. 

"This is a tribute to the guys that we have on the team," Jackson said. "This is also a tribute to my assistant Reggie Scurry. The players and Reggie are a big reason I was recognized as Coach of the Year."

Whitlock and Jackson were not the only Tigers honored as sophomores Marcus Zeigler (10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists), Shamarrie Hugie (14.1 points, 5.7 rebounds), and Avante Nichols (9.5 points, 4.4 rebounds) were named Second Team all-conference selections.

"All three played roles on our national tournament run last year and this year their leadership has been invaluable," Jackson said.

Fellow sophomore Dallas Whitney (10.1 points, 4.9 rebounds) was named an Honorable Mention all-conference performer despite missing the first 13 games of the season.

"I was glad coaches recognized his skill set while only playing a little more than half a season," Jackson said.

ALL-KJCCC HONORABLE MENTION BARTON: ARIS RODRIGUEZ - FR

BUTLER: RUSSELL BRANCH – SO, BUBBA LEAVELL – SO

CLOUD COUNTY: SYNCERE BURNETTE – FR, MATTHEW GARBER – R-FR

COFFEYVILLE: JUSTIN TAYLOR – R-SO

COLBY: MAXENCE MASSADILA - SO

COWLEY: DALLAS WHITNEY - SO

DODGE CITY: DERRICK RIVERS – FR

FORT HAYS TECH NORTHWEST: KALIK SHARPE – SO

HUTCHINSON: BOBBY CANNON - FR

INDEPENDENCE: TRASHAUN COMBS-PIERCE - FR

PRATT: JARRETT DINGLE – SO, HUNTER VAUGHN – R-FR