Men's Basketball 2025-26 Roster Reload: South Alabama

South Alabama enters the 2025-26 season as one of the reigning conference champions in the Sun Belt, and looks to build on the momentum of last season’s campaign

Head Coach Richie Riley, who took over the program in 2018, earned his first conference championship last season after leading the Jaguars to a 21-11 record and 13-5 in conference play. Riley’s job was recognized as he took home Sun Belt Coach of the Year, though the Jaguars’ season ended earlier than they would’ve like with a loss in their first game of the conference tournament

Since Riley’s arrival, South Alabama has finished in the top half of the standings in the league in nearly every season, except for his first year and the 2023-24 season. The Jaguars also made a postseason run in 2021-22, falling just short of a championship appearance after losing to Coastal Carolina in a semifinal thriller.

To build on last season’s success, South Alabama returns five players from last season’s roster. Randy Brady started 19 games last year and has shot 40 percent over the last two seasons. John Broom, a 6-foot-5 redshirt sophomore, contributed in all facets of the game with 5.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game, providing size, toughness, and potential. Broom was named preseason Third-Team All-Conference, and will look to take a massive step this season

Depth guards Jayden Cooper and JJ Wheat also return, providing energy and continuity off the bench. Maxwell Land, who averaged 10.1 points in nine games before suffering an injury in 2023-24, finally returns to action after redshirting last season and should play a major role if he’s healthy.

Departures

The Jaguars have to retool their roster, losing over 63 percent of their total minutes from last season.

Last year’s leading scorer and rebounder Barry Dunning Jr. has transferred to Pittsburgh after a breakout season, averaging 15.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Dunning was named First-Team All-Sun Belt and was key in South Alabama’s championship season.

𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰😼: Barry Dunning, Jr.@BarryDunning6 pic.twitter.com/OHejDZvPCI

— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_MBB) August 13, 2025

Star guard Myles Corey, a Third-Team All-Sun Belt selection, also departed for Rhode Island. Corey averaged 13.8 points and a team-high 4.3 assists last season.

Veteran forward Judah Brown moves on after spending three seasons in Mobile. Brown, who began his career at Saint Mary’s (CA), provided floor spacing and experience, averaging nine points while shooting 37.7 percent from behind the arc last season. He now plays professionally in Europe.

Frontcourt depth also took a hit, as two more players departed. Elijah Ormiston spent three seasons in Mobile, shooting a career 52.2 percent from the field and averaged a career-high eight points per game last season. Cantia Rahming has departed after one season in Mobile and Julian Margrave is headed to Omaha.

Two more key pieces, both in the backcourt are gone. Dylan Fasoyiro played 18.3 minutes per game last season, averaging 6.3 points and 1.2 steals, and is now playing professionally. Wing Ethan Kizer, who brought athleticism and potential, played 11.5 minutes per game as a freshman in 2023-24 and redshirted last season and has transferred to South Dakota. Caleb Kizer has followed his brother to South Dakota.

Arrivals

Riley retools its roster without a single Division I transfer, something he has made common.

Stephen Williams, a 6-foot-9 240-pound forward, will likely be a big contributor this season. Williams comes from Coastal Alabama C.C. where he averaged 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and two blocks last season, posting eight double-doubles.

Welcome to #OurCity, Stephen ‼️

🔗 https://t.co/6f6YkPlvuw #BurnTheBoats🔥🚤 | @showtimeSW4 pic.twitter.com/xlM3MQ3XUG

— South Alabama Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@SouthAlabamaMBB) April 16, 2025

Hantz Louis-Jeune, a graduate transfer from Lenoir-Rhyne, brings a veteran presence as he enters his sixth season of college basketball. He averaged 13.4 points per game and was Second-Team All-Conference last season, and also brings Division I experience from his time with Florida A&M.

Two transfer forwards help the frontcourt: Adam Olsen (University of British Columbia) and Peyton Law (Freed-Hardeman). Olsen brings shooting, knocking down 71 threes last season, while Law — an NAIA First-Team All-American — averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds, while also providing defense with 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.

The backcourt also receives reinforcements from Chaze Harris (Life University) and Brain Hawthorne (Rockhurst). Harris was an NAIA First-Team All-American after averaging 19.7 points and 6.9 assists. Hawthorne scored 15 points and dished out 4.4 assists per game and was an elite rebounder for his size at 5.5 boards per contest.

Two freshmen round out the incomers: Samuel Shaptaw and Desmond Williams, both 6-foot-2 guards. Shoptaw was a 1,000 point scorer and part of a state runner-up team. Williams, a Mobile native, scored over 1,500 points in high school and earned Second-Team All-State in Alabama as a senior.

The names on the roster might not turn heads, but Riley’s teams always find a way to compete towards the top of the conference standings. South Alabama opens their 2025-26 season on Nov. 3, traveling to face Toledo in the MAC-SBC Challenge at 7;00 p.m. on ESPN+.