The Sentinel-Record's 2018 Boys Basketball Player of the Year and an All-Garland County Second Team selection were among 10 new signees for the National Park Nighthawks for their first year in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Jessieville graduate Alex Burleson and Mountain Pine's Tyler Zander signed this spring to join National Park College's men's basketball team this season. They will join eight other signees and five returning players from last year's 12-5 club team to form the new roster.
"What we have been able to add to that class with the new ones coming in are really the types of kids we were looking for from a character standpoint, academics, athletics and everything we are wanting to put into building a program," said head men's coach Jason Hudnell.
"Especially in our first year of NJCAA, it is a whole different level of recruiting and a whole different caliber of player in what we are trying to build moving forward."
The other signees include Garrison Branscum, Perryville; Patrick Greene, Little Rock Mills; David Jaggers, Mayflower; B.J. Lacey, Malvern; D.J. Martin, Pine Bluff; Desmond McDonald, Hope; Dayten Wishon, Gravette; and Brady Woodall, Manila.
Leading the returning players are Braylon Steen, a 6-6 forward from Bryant. He was the Nighthawks' leading scorer and rebounder last season, averaging 19.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Other returners include K.J. Corder, a 6-3 forward from Hot Springs; Lowell Washington, a 6-3 forward from Bryant; Seth Duke, a point guard from Gravette; and Logan Willett, a guard out of Faith Prep Academy in West Memphis.
Corder was the team's second-leading scorer with 18.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Washington was the second-leading rebounder at 11.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Hudnell said losing much of last year's roster is the nature of junior college sports in which players stay for two or less seasons. He said he plans for several to remain for the program's new junior varsity team in addition to a number of graduates from local high schools.
The new class includes more forwards and post players, allowing Steen to play further away from the basket on offense and defense. Hudnell said the team will still play much of the same style, but can now be more dynamic.
"I think defensively and in rebounding, we really got a lot stronger with our new class," Hudnell said. "Oftentimes last year, I had five guards on the floor and we would run a lot of five-out offense. I like that pace and space type of offense.
"We want to play fast. We want to move the ball and spread the floor to create lanes to drive to the rim. Those are all things we want to do and will continue to do that. That is how we play."
Hudnell said this year's class includes shooters to help continue the team's emphasis on outside shooting, but the signees add size to help Steen and Washington inside.
"I think you will see us run some four-out, one-in," Hudnell said. "I could see us being in that quite a bit. This lineup even gives me the ability to run with three guards and two posts. It gives me some flexibility depending on who our opponent is. We can match up, accordingly."
Burleson averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and three assists per game in leading coach Jared White's Lions to a 24-7 record and a 16-1 record in the 3A/4A-8 blended conference. He was named All-State in Class 3A and he was a member of the Class 3A All-State Tournament Team.
"God directed me here," Burleson said. "It wouldn't have happened otherwise."
"Alex had several opportunities to play at the next level and we are excited that he chose to stay close to home and be a part of Nighthawk basketball," Hudnell said.
Zander averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game in his senior season.
"With NPC being so close to home, I wanted to be apart of building up the team and to show everyone that we can develop something really special here," Zander said.
Mountain Pine finished the season 26-6 as the regular season 2A-7 West conference champion and the district tournament champion. Zander led the Red Devils with 16 points and 10 rebounds in his final game for the Red Devils.
"Tyler is another Garland County kid that we are excited about welcoming to the program," Hudnell said. "He has good length and a really nice shooting touch. I love being able to bring in local kids as we build a championship level program.
Branscum was an All-State player in Class 3A for the 27-5 Perryville Mustangs that held off Jessieville in the 3A-4 district tournament championship game and the 3A-1 regional championship game.
"Garrison is an All-State player who is a flat-out winner," Hudnell said. "He has tremendous court vision and a high basketball IQ."
Greene averaged 16.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and two assists per game for Class 5A runner-up Little Rock Mills (29-3). The Comets won the 5A championship in 2017.
"After receiving several academic offers, I chose National Park College because of its strong general academic reputation and the close proximity to my home," Greene said.
"After meeting and talking with coach Jason Hudnell on more than one occasion, I feel that he is genuinely concerned about my development not only as an athlete, but as a person as well. I believe National Park College is a good fit for me and will have me better equipped to continue pursuing my dreams after two years of studies."
Greene was named to the 2017 Class 5A All-State Tournament Team and was ranked among the state's top 10 3-point shooters in 2016.
"Patrick can score buckets," Hudnell said. "I cannot wait to see him on the floor for the Nighthawks next year. We feel very fortunate that he chose to be a Nighthawk."
Jaggers averaged 20.3 points and 11.2 rebounds per game as an All-State player for Mayflower in Class 3A.
"We are really excited about what David can bring to the table for us starting immediately," Hudnell said. "He is a big kid with soft hands. David is an All-State athlete that averaged a double-double his senior year. He has the size and attitude we were looking for."
Lacey is another signee expected to give the team more of an inside presence.
"B.J. is a big 6-7 athlete that gives us some size that we were really missing last year," Lacey said. "He is athletic, and works incredibly hard. He really fills a void for us in the post."
Martin joins the Nighthawks from Pine Bluff.
"I chose NPC because my family thought it was a better school and to help me stay focused on my grades and basketball," Martin said.
"D.J. absolutely wowed me when he came in to work out for us," Hudnell said. "He is incredibly athletic and will be an explosive part of team."
McDonald signed with the Nighthawks from Hope.
"I chose to attend NPC because I feel like it would be a great environment for me to start my career and I can pursue my basketball career," McDonald said.
"Desmond is going to be a good one for us," Hudnell said. "He has a motor that does not stop and is a tremendous athlete."
Wishon was named Class 4A All-State for the 19-10 Gravette Lions. He averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists per game.
"With Dayten, we are continuing to get quality athletes out of Northwest Arkansas," Hudnell said. "Dayten is a long 6-4 kid that can really shoot it. He is going to turn some heads this year."
Woodall said he felt NPC was the best fit for him.
"Coach Hudnell felt that I could make an impact on this team when I got down here, and that's what i wanted," Woodall said. "He's going to give me the best opportunity to succeed on and off of the basketball court."
"Brady is a great shooter and is going to really fit in well with our system," Hudnell said. "The 3-point shot is a big part of our offense and he definitely is a weapon from long range."
Woodall scored 1,569 points in his career. He averaged 17.9 points per game, shooting 80 percent at the free throw line, 45 percent from distance and 59 percent from the floor as Manila went 23-12 in his senior season, making the Class 3A state quarterfinals.
"This freshman class is a good one," Hudnell said. "We are really excited about this new group of Nighthawks. These are all great kids who can really play. They are going to be a fun group to watch.
"We had a mission with this recruiting class that we wanted character kids that shared the same vision we did on how to be a student-athlete. These guys really embody what it means to be a Nighthawk."
Sports on 05/27/2018