The Barton Community College men's basketball team landed three sophomores on the KJCCC All-West team.
Earning first team honors were Jaheim Holden and Justin Harmon while Desean Munson received honorable mention distinction.
The trio helped Barton shake off a fifth place pre-season prediction to challenge for the league title, taking over second place in the final week of the regular season knocking off both West champion Hutchinson and then-second spot holder Dodge City. Finishing at 13-8 in the West, the Cougars reached the Region VI semifinals for the fourth time in the last five years before a season ending loss to eventual Region champion Cowley College concluding the year at 16-9.
Holden was the microwave for the Cougars, either in the starting lineup or first off the bench, quickly turning on the heat on the opponents. Tied with Harmon for the scoring lead at 16.0 points per game, Holden's speed and ability turned the tide of many Barton contests. The native of Evanston, Illinois, ranked in the top four of the Region Division I leaderboard in distributing 4.8 assists and recording 1.9 steals per game. The 6'0" point guard could get to the hole in lightning quick time or pull up for long jumper, draining 50 behind the arc on 39% shooting or calmly sinking free throws at an 82.9% success rate. Reaching double figures in all but three of his appearances, Holden eclipsed the 20-point total five times including a career high 27 points twice including his lone double-double adding 10 assists and sinking a perfect 13-of-13 from the charity stripe in a late January win over Allen.
Harmon provided an all-around game for the Cougars, joining Holden for team high honors with the 16 points per game on a solid 49.2% shooting while adding 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Reaching double-figures in 21 of his 22 games, the Chicago, Illinois, native had a career high 26 points early March at NW Kansas Technical with five other games over twenty points. Harmon also posted a 20 point, 10 assist, effort against Garden City for his lone double-double of the year signifying his unselfish distribution also signified by dishing out four or more dimes nine times throughout the season. Shooting 81.4% from the charity stipe, Harmon along with Holden and Munson were key contributors to the Cougars' 75.7% from the line in leading the Region VI and ranking 6th overall in the nation.
As Holden was helping to navigate the back court and Harmon doing everything in-between, Munson was the controller of the paint on both ends of the floor. Often the unsung work-horse behind the scenes, Munson secured a Region 6th best 8.5 rebounds per contest to go along with 15.2 points per game. The Ann Arbor, Michigan, native eclipsed his board average eight times during the year, including a pair of 16 rebound games, recording a team high seven double-double efforts. Ranking a region 6th best 60.3% shooting from the field and 76.3% from the free throw line, Munson reached double figures in all but three of his 22 appearances, scoring over 25 points four times including a 29 point and 11 rebound effort early in the season at eventual Region champion Cowley College.
Complete All-KJCCC Jayhawk West selections