[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of HCC Sports Information

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Add one more major award for Hutchinson Community College sophomore forward Shakur Juiston.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) named Juiston its 2017 Junior College National Player of the Year. The NABC recognizes only one national player of the year from all three NJCAA Divisions as well as other junior college associations around the country not affiliated with the NJCAA.

Juiston a 6-foot-7 forward from Newark, New Jersey, is the second Blue Dragon ever to be named the NABC National Player of the Year. Juiston joins Kadeem Allen, who won the award in 2014.

Juiston is also a first-team NABC All-American. The Blue Dragons have had NABC All-Americans in two-straight seasons – Bashir Ahmed in 2016 – three of the last four seasons and four in the last eight seasons – Allen in 2014 and Darius Johnson-Odom in 2009.

Previously, Juiston has been named the NJCAA Division I National Player of the Year, the Jayhawk Conference Player of the Year and Region VI Player of the Year.

Juiston was also named the NJCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player after leading the Blue Dragons to their third national championship on March 25 after an 84-58 national championship game victory over Eastern Florida State at the Sports Arena. He had four double-doubles in the NJCAA Tournament. He had tournament highs of 88 points, 56 rebounds and averaged 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game over four games.

For the 2016-17 season, Juiston averaged a double-double for the season at 17.3 points and 12.1 rebounds per game in his sophomore season. Juiston shot 60.9 percent from the field and averaged 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocked shots per game.

Juiston had 26 double-doubles and one triple-double.

Juiston broke the Blue Dragons’ single-game rebound record of 20 against Dodge City and then went on to break the program’s career rebounding record of 741. Juiston ranked sixth in the NJCAA in total rebounds and was first in the nation in defensive rebounding average.

Juiston’s 446 total rebounds this past season were third most in team history. His 12.1 boards per game average tied Ben Davis (1994) for sixth on the season list. His 67 blocks were seventh most in team season history.

Juiston ranked fourth in Region VI in scoring, third in field-goal percentage, led the league in rebounding and tied for the conference lead in blocked shots.