With the start of the basketball season drawing closer, the Cowley College men and women’s basketball teams were recently picked to finish second in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division by the conference coaches.

The Tiger men, the defending conference champions, were picked second behind only Coffeyville Community College. Cowley finished three games better than the Red Ravens in last year’s conference race, but lost to Coffeyville in the region tournament.

“I think we are one of the top teams in the country, so obviously we play in a great league when we are picked second,” Cowley head coach Tommy DeSalme said.

The Lady Tigers, who finished fourth in the conference a season ago, were picked to finish behind only defending conference champion Butler Community College.

“We return a bunch of players which should be helpful,” Cowley head coach Todd Clark said. “Hopefully, we can live up to that prediction and be competitive throughout the league.”

Hutchinson Community College was picked to finish first in the Jayhawk Con ference Western Division on both the men and women’s side.

The Tiger basketball teams will open the season at Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa Wednesday, January 20 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Predicted order of finish in the Jayhawk East:

MEN

(1) Coffeyville; (2) Cowley; (3) Butler; (4) Independence; (5) Allen; (6) Neosho; (7) Cloud County.

WOMEN

(1) Butler; (2) Cowley; (3) Coffeyville; (4) Cloud County; (5) Independence; (6) Neosho; (7) Allen.