Hutchinson Community College men's basketball coach Steve Eck may not have to worry too much about having to work players who aren't used to him or their teammates.
Seven who played for Eck at Cowley last season have transferred to Hutchinson. Four of them - point guard Adonis Gantt, forward Garrius Holloman, forward Cortez Barnes Jr., and guard Jordan Fields - already know they will play for the Blue Dragons next season. Three others - forward Jawanza Poland, forward Robert Goff and forward Dominique Lane - have enrolled at HCC but are still waiting for a transfer waiver.
If the waiver is not granted, those three will have to redshirt this season.
But if anything, the transfers have shown their faith and loyalty to Eck and vice versa.
"I think loyalty works both ways," Eck said. "I worked hard for them and they worked hard for me."
Gantt was one of the top players in the Jayhawk East last season. A former Wichita Southeast standout, the 5-foot-10 Gantt averaged 6.8 points and 6.8 assists a game last year as Cowley's starting point guard.
The 6-6 Holloman, who played at Wichita East, averaged 7.3 points in the first 12 games last season before suffering a season-ending injury.
Barnes, the son of former HCC standout Cortez Barnes, redshirted last year, as did Fields.
Poland averaged 13.7 points a game after a standout prep career at Wichita East. Goff, an Indianapolis native, averaged 9.2 points while Kansas City, Mo. native Lane - who like Poland and Goff were starters - averaged 9.9 points.
Eck declined to comment if he thought Poland, Goff and Lane would be granted their waivers.
Eck said he was still looking for another player or two to complete next season's team.
