The men’s basketball team introduces seven new players after a season filled with injuries and depth problems and an offseason filled with departures.

During the offseason, the team graduated center Marcus Van and Ryan Thomas, let go of junior forward Jacolby Hardiman and had Jeremy Allen, Lawrence Bridges, Adrian Hunter and William Eddie all leave on mutual terms.

With those seven spots, coach Ernie Zeigler filled his team in with a balance of guards and forwards.

“I think we bring a lot of depth,” said junior transfer Jalin Thomas.

Freshmen Joe Estrada and Finis Craddock, along with junior transfer Amir Rashid, will add depth to the guard position. Also expected to see time at guard is Thomas, who also will play forward depending on game matchups.

Thomas scored 12.5 points per game last season at Pensacola Junior College. Rashid averaged 12 points and 5.4 assists per game at Trinity Valley Community College.

The added depth comes after a season that saw guards Robbie Harman and Jordan Bitzer, now seniors, play around 33 minutes per game.

Coach Ernie Zeigler said the addition of Craddock and Rashid to the position should take some of the load off Harman, Bitzer and junior guard Antonio Weary.

“They’re going to be a huge addition to the depth of our back court because they bring quickness and ability to handle the ball and be able to make plays off the dribble themselves,” Zeigler said.

Thomas and other newcomers will get a chance to see significant minutes after Weary broke a bone in his left hand during the team’s 85-38 exhibition win against Marygrove.

“Coach has brought me here to step in in case something like this did happen,” Thomas said. “And the fact that did happen is really unfortunate, but I’m prepared to step in and do what I need to do.”

The newcomers paid immediate dividends in the win. Craddock finished the game with 11 points and Thomas had eight rebounds.

“I think I can really help out this team with my rebounding (ability),” Thomas said

In the paint

Depth also was a problem at the forward position last year.

Senior forward Chris Kellermann was out for the season after the team’s seventh game with an injury and junior forward Marko Spica missed the entire season with an injury.

Helping out Spica, Kellermann and senior center Brandon Ford will be newcomers freshmen Sean Day and Tyler Brown and junior transfer William McClure. Thomas is expected to see playing time at the forward position as well.

McClure averaged 9.6 rebounds per game last season at Lake Land College.

“I think Will McClure is definitely going push for minutes up front,” Zeigler said. “I think his ability to rebound and be a defensive presence for us is definitely going to help the depth up front.”

E-mail the author: Tim Ottusch