MEN’S BASKETBALL

Three members of the HU men’s basketball team have been recognized by the Crossroads League for their standout performances this season, highlighted by a historic campaign from Kaden Johnson.

The 6-11 forward dominated both ends of the floor, earning First Team All-League honors while also being named the Crossroads League Defensive Player of the Year. Johnson averaged a double-double of 17.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game while shooting a league-best 63.8 percent from the field. He led Huntington in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, topped the league in both rebounding and shooting percentage, and ranked sixth in scoring.

A force in the paint, Johnson also averaged 1.1 blocks per game — fifth-best in the conference — anchoring a Forester defense that made life difficult for opponents all season. He follows in the footsteps of HU graduate Maximus Gizzi, who claimed Defensive Player of the Year honors last season, marking back-to-back years a Forester has earned the distinction.

Huntington’s backcourt duo also garnered league recognition.

Graduate student Jackson Paul was named Second Team All-League after another strong season directing the offense. The 6-1 guard averaged 13.2 points per game while leading the Foresters with 5.1 assists per contest — the third-best mark in the Crossroads League — and adding 3.9 rebounds per outing. Known for his toughness and steady leadership, Paul has been the engine behind HU’s execution on both sides of the ball.

Joining him on the Second Team is redshirt freshman Miles Good who has quickly established himself as one of the league’s most dynamic young players, securing a spot on the Crossroads League All-Freshmen Team as well. The 6-0 guard filled the stat sheet nightly, averaging 14.5 points, 3.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and a team-high 1.4 steals per game.

The Foresters boast a 28-8 record and third-place finish in the Crossroads League standings. Earlier this week, Huntington learned it will serve as one of 16 host sites for the first and second rounds of the NAIA National Tournament, presented by Ballogy. Tournament pairings will be announced Thursday, with action set to begin March 13-14.