It’s been a busy offseason for Jacksonville State’s men’s basketball staff.

After the transfer portal saw many key players depart for new programs, head coach Ray Harper and company have made plenty of moves during a key offseason.

Departures from the transfer portal include Conference USA Player of the Year Jaron Pierre Jr., starting center and all-defensive team selection Mason Nicholson and all-freshman team pick Quel’Ron House.

Jax State finished last season 23-13 and 12-6 in Conference USA play, advancing to the CUSA title game. The Gamecocks also earned an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament, picking up an 81-64 victory over Georgia Tech in the first round.

As for additions for 2025-26, the most recent was made this week.

A source confirmed to AL.com on Tuesday the program added 6-foot-10 forward Thomas Tut, a transfer from Southeastern Louisiana who played in 17 games with one start last season for the Lions.

Before his lone season with Southeastern Louisiana, he was a standout player at Garden City Community College with 14.5 points and 9.8 rebounds during his final season under former head coach Rusty Elmore, who is now on staff at Jax State.

The signing of Tut brought the number of signees from junior colleges and the transfer portal to eight for Jax State, with only one JUCO signee in 6-foot-9 forward Emondrek Erkins-Ford, who averaged 15.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks last season at Eastern Florida State College.

Five transfer guards have signed, including Coppin State transfer Toby Nnadozie, who was named MEAC Defensive Player of The Year after ranking seventh among all Division I players in steals per game (2.5) while averaging 12.6 points and 3.2 rebounds a game.

Other key additions include Mostapha El Moutaouakkil — who was Louisiana’s leading scorer (14.5 points per game) and rebounder (5.2 rebounds per game) last season — and All-SWAC selection AC Bryant, who averaged a team-high 14 points a game at Alabama A&M along with 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 2024-25.

Jaye Nash, a former four-star prospect, also signed with Jax State after one season at Tulsa. The Powder Springs, Georgia, native played in 21 games last season with the Golden Hurricane.

The guards will be joined by returners Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. and Jamar Franklin, whose seasons were cut short due to injury.

Franklin started the first 14 games of the season and averaged 10.4 points a game for Jax State last year while Fitzgerald, a former Tennessee State standout with 1,178 career points, missed the entire season.

Forwards Iaroslav Niagu (36 games played in 2024-25) and Oneonta native Aidan Driggers (five games played in 2024-25) also return for Jax State.

Here’s a recap of Jax State’s additions and departures since the transfer portal opened:

RETURNERS

Guard Marcus Fitzgerald Jr., 6-foot-2, Gr.

Guard Jamar Franklin, 6-foot-3, Sr.

Forward Iaroslav Niagu, 7-foot-0, Jr.

Forward Aidan Driggers, 6-foot-6, Sr.

ADDITIONS

Transfer portal

Guard AC Bryant, 6-foot-3, Sr. (Alabama A&M)

Guard Jaye Nash, 6-foot-3, So. (Tulsa)

Guard Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, 6-foot-6, Sr. (Louisiana-Lafayette)

Guard Toby Nnadozie, 6-foot-3, Sr. (Coppin State)

Guard/forward Bencao Vungo, 6-foot-6, Jr. (East Carolina)

Forward Thomas Tut, 6-foot-10, Sr. (Southeastern Louisiana)

Forward Aitor Anabitarte, 6-foot-8, Gr. (Saint Francis)

Junior college

Forward Emondrek Erkins-Ford, 6-foot-9, Jr. (Eastern Florida State College)

Freshmen

Guard Jacoby Hill, 6-foot-3 (Central-Phenix City High, Ala.)

Guard Jordan Vick, 6-foot-0 (Word of God Christian Academy National, N.C.)

DEPARTURES

Transfer portal

Guard Jaron Pierre Jr., 6-foot-6 (SMU)

Guard Quel’Ron House, 5-foot-11 (Southern Illinois)

Guard Koree Cotton, 6-foot-6 (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley)

Guard Jao Ituka, 6-foot-1 (Northern Illinois)

Forward Michael Houge, 6-foot-7 (Oakland)

Forward Gora Niang, 6-foot-7

Center Mason Nicholson, 6-foot-10 (Vanderbilt)

Graduation

Forward Marcellus Brigham Jr., 6-foot-7