2025-26 Charleston Southern Preview
The 2025-26 Big South Hoops Hub Preview of Charleston Southern
Charleston Southern:
Background and 24-25 Recap:
People expected a stronger year from Saah Nimley last season, but after being hampered by injuries to Alahn Sumler and DJ Patrick. Saah and Charleston Southern pushed through to finish 7th in the conference, due in part to a Big South Player of the Year season by Senior Big Man, Taje Kelly.
Despite keeping Sumler, Saah still had a rebuild after losing Kelly, and 7 other players leaving either due to graduation, or transfer portal, and with a mix of D1, D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO players. Coach Saah Nimley might have built one of the best rosters in recent history for Charleston Southern.
Returners:
G: A’lhan Sumler
After missing the 24-25 season due to a hip injury in the preseason, A’lahn Sumler needs to pick up where he left off during the 23-24 season where he became the young budding future at Charleston Southern.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Big South Conference Honorable Mention in 2023-24.
Big South Preseason All 2nd Team selection in 2024-25.
C: Reis Jones
After transferring in from Florida Southwestern, Reis made his impact known in his first season at CSU averaging 5.5 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 32 games and 19 starts. He’s likely the front runner for the starting C spot at CSU, but past experience means little to nothing once November rolls around.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Pulled in the 2nd most rebounds last season for Charleston Southern, only behind Taje Kelly.
Had the 5th most blocks in a single season in Charleston Southern history (41).
G: Anthony Gause
Anthony Gause saw limited action last season at CSU, including one start vs Radford, averaging 4.6 PPG, 0.6 RPG and 0.6 APG across his 17 games.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Scored a career high 19 points vs Morris College last season.
Incoming Transfers:
G: Luke Williams - Maryville (D2)
One of Saah Nimley’s many Non D1 transfer additions, Luke Williams comes in after spending 2 years at Division 2 school Maryville where he was the leading scorer this past season averaging 15.4 PPG, while also tallying the 3rd most rebounds per game at 4.2 RPG and the 4th most assists at 2 APG.
Luke began his career with 2 years at Southeast CC in Nebraska, in his final JUCO season in 2022-23, Williams averaged over 18 PPG with THREE 30 point outings.
Awards/Notable Facts:
All GLVC Sportsmanship Award Winner in 2024-25
G: Armari Carraway - Eastern Arizona
One of Coach Nimley’s two Top 100 JUCO commitments, Armari Carraway comes from Eastern Arizona College in, well, Arizona. In his freshman season at EAC, Carraway averaged over 6 PPG.
In his sophomore season at EAC, Carraway helped lead his team to the Region 1 title leading his team in Points Per Game (14) and Assists Per Game (4.6) while also adding 3.8 RPG which was 4th on the entire team.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Ranked 66th in the 2025 JUCO Top 150 RoundUp.
2024-25 1st Team All Conference and All Region
G: Jaquias Franklin - Georgetown (KY)
One of the biggest unknowns of Saah Nimley’s portal class, is Jaquias Franklin. You have to be a sicko CBB fan to know the Georgetown in Kentucky, but anyone who knows this squad knows that Georgetown, despite being NAIA, is no slouch of a team.
Jaquias has bounced around the lower ranks of college basketball beginning his career at Southwestern Illinois for his freshman and sophomore seasons where he averaged 9.3 PPG and 14.2 PPG in those two years respectively.
Then after his two years at Southwestern Illinois passed, he went to Lenoir Rhyne, where he played in 25 games, starting all but one, where he averaged 11 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 3.2 APG before finally making the move to Georgetown where he helped lead Georgetown to a NAIA Elite 8 and at one point a #1 ranking nationally.
Awards/Notable Facts:
2024-25 First Team All-Mid South Conference
G: Brycen Blaine - Gulf Coast State
The other one of Saah Nimley’s Top 100 JUCO commits, this time Brycen Blaine from Gulf Coast State in Florida. Blaine began his career at James Madison where he saw marginal playing time only playing in 9 games, all in the 2022-23 season.
After missing the 23-24 season due to injury, Brycen made the choice to transfer down to the JUCO ranks to play at Gulf Coast State, and boy did it pay off. Brycen averaged 10.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 3.3 APG on efficient shooting on a very successful Gulf Coast State team getting him this chance at Charleston Southern.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Dean’s List (2024) and JMU Scholar-Athlete: Fall of 23’ and Spring of 24’
Ranked 96th in the 2025 JUCO Top 150 RoundUp.
G: Kaleb Lofton - Covenant College
The latest addition of the cycle coming in mid June, Saah Nimley decided to add another guard to his already deep rotation. Lofton had a sophomore breakout at Covenant after a freshman season where he didn’t really play much, in his sophomore season Lofton averaged 7.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 1.9 APG.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Had his career high of 13 vs Rhodes on 11/22/24.
F: Trent Coleman - Auburn Montgomery (For more on Coleman)
Trent Coleman, was one of the many people who benefited from the JUCO Ruling, as he started his career at Southwest Mississippi State CC where he averaged 17 MPG as a freshman averaging 6 PPG and 4.5 RPG earning him a call and offer from Matt Driscoll at North Florida.
During his two years with Coach Driscoll, Coleman didn’t really find a good footing in the rotation, only playing in 25 games across the 2 seasons. In those two seasons he did show flashes like against High Point and Coastal Carolina where he had 10 points in each outing.
After not really finding any footing at North Florida, Trent chose to transfer to Auburn Montgomery and made the most out of it playing in 25 games, starting 14. In those 25 games, Trent averaged 12.2 PPG and 7 RPG on 48.2% shooting from the field and 36.2% from behind the arc.
Awards/Notable Facts:
ASun Honor Roll in 2022-23 and 2023-24
NABC Honor Court in 2023-24
Gulf South Conference Honor Roll in 2024-25
F: Jesse Hafemeister - Mercyhurst/Catholic
If this was last season, with the current portal environment where a player like Elyjah Freeman goes from D2 to Tennessee, I feel we’d be talking about Jesse Hafemeister being at an A10 or American school but with him missing last season at Mercyhurst, he ends up at Charleston Southern.
Before going to the aforementioned Mercyhurst, Hafemeister had a very prolific career at Catholic University. In his 4 years at Catholic, Jesse started all but 1 game (83/84) averaging 17.7 PPG and 5.4 RPG with very good shooting at 38.4% from 3. This amazing play made him All Conference First Team ALL 4 SEASONS.
Awards/Notable Facts:
2x D3Hoops.com All-Region V First Team (22-23 and 23-24)
4x All-Landmark Conference First Team Selection (20-21, 21-22, 22-23, 23-24)
2024 Catholic Athletics Outstanding Men's Senior Athlete Award Winner
2023-24 Landmark Conference Player of the Year
F: Nate Brafford - Georgia Southern
One of two Brafford brothers, Nate is the more known commodity as he is coming to CSU to close out his college career after spending 3 seasons at Georgia Southern. In his freshman season, he played in 21 games playing in 8 MPG averaging 2.1 PPG and 1.3 RPG.
During his sophomore and junior seasons Brafford saw the court more, including playing in all 33 games in his sophomore season (starting 13) where he averaged 5.6 PPG and 3.4 RPG while shooting over 31% from 3. In his senior season, his minutes declined but did start in 18 games for GSU, in those games Brafford also saw a dip in stats averaging 3.6 PPG and 2.2 RPG but over 40% shooting from behind the arc.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Had 7 double digit games in the 23-24 season. Including 3, 13 Point Games (his career high)
Led Georgia Southern in FT Percentage in the 23-24 season: 91.7% on 36 attempts.
F: Devin Brafford - Siena
The younger of the two Brafford brothers, Devin is coming off a pretty successful freshman season at Siena. Unlike a lot of freshman, especially at the Mid Major level, Devin got to see significant minutes across the season and even got to start down the stretch. In his 20 games, 12 of which being starts, Devin averaged 4.7 PPG and 2.7 RPG with a pretty respectable 8 made 3’s for a 7’.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Has a career high of 15 points (vs Sacred Heart 1/16/25)
One of 3 7’ers in the Big South
Was a Nominee for the McDonald’s All American Game
Incoming Freshman:
G: Jacob Taylor - Wheeler HS (GA)
The first of three incoming Freshman for Saah Nimley is one from a state that has been very nice to CSU in the past, Georgia. During his senior season at Wheeler, Jacob was voted Team Captain. While playing alongside Ole Miss commit Tylis Jordan and 2026 4 Star Colben Landrew, Taylor helped Wheeler win the 2025 5A State Title.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Named by Sports Illustrated as a top-15 player to watch at the Nike Elite High School Classic (2025)
#61 Player in GA according to PrepHoops
G: AJ Gladieux - Grace Christian (NC)
Hailing originally from Holly Springs, N.C. AJ played his HS basketball at Grace Christian and Apex Friendship School. In his senior season, where he played for Grace Christian, AJ averaged 9.1 PPG on over 60% from the field, while also averaging 1.9 APG earning him a plethora of Conference Awards including an All Conference and All Tournament Selection.
Awards/Notable Facts:
Played in the Under Armour RISE U15 National Title
Comes from a BIG Basketball family, having 6 direct family members play the sports at the collegiate level, including his father (Adam) playing at High Point.
G: Easton Hupp - Liberty Christian (TX)
The final member of Saah Nimley’s freshman class, and this time it’s a long distance traveler coming all the way from Texas, Easton Hupp who played at Fort Worth Christian but most recently at Liberty Christian. Easton was a prolific scorer at Liberty Christian averaging 24.8 PPG on 43% shooting from behind the arc in his senior season.
Awards/Notable Facts:
2 Time First Team All-State Selection
District MVP and 3 Time All District First Team Selection
Roster Prediction:
Roster Thoughts/Rating:
Backcourt: B
A’lahn Sumler: If you read last year’s preview, you would have noticed I was very high on Sumler, and just like last year I am high on him again. While I do believe Sumler will still have some lingering affects from his injury, I still think he’s an All Big South Level talent and will play to that level this season.
Luke Williams: When Luke first “entered” the portal, I was wondering who would take the chance on him. Well Saah Nimley was the guy who took the risk and I like it, Luke was prolific scorer in the GLVC and while the GLVC isn’t a TOP TOP D2 conference, it’s a very competitive league and I think while Luke will see a drop in production, it won’t be enough to make him a non factor, really love the low risk, high upside add by Saah Nimley.
Armari Carraway: The final of my “starting” guards is the JUCO Top 100 recruit, Armari Carraway. Trying to find a 3rd guard was very tough between him, Blaine, Gause and even Franklin and I would not be shocked to see any of them being the 1st guard off the bench. I do like Carraway the most and his JUCO production, I believe is the most likely to translate into a starting/6th man role.
Frontcourt: C-
Jesse Hafemeister: One of the truly more underrated transfer additions for Charleston Southern this year, mostly due to Jesse Hafemeister not actually playing at Mercyhurst last year. During his 4 year career at Catholic, Jesse just filled up that stat sheet and I don’t see it falling off at Charleston Southern, maybe not to the 17 PPG and 6 RPG he had at Catholic, but I could very well see 12 and 5 or something like it.
Nate Brafford: Sometimes getting one player leads to a domino effect, whether that be do to friendships or maybe just a special connection. For Nate and Devin, it’s the blood connection, and I think Nate will make the INSTANT impact for CSU as he’s the most mature of the two, and best fits the system for Coach Nimley, Nate is a perfect pick and pop 4-5 and will fit into any rotation that Coach Nimley and the staff put him in.
Trent Coleman: When Trent first committed, I thought he was going to be one of the “big fish” gets for CSU this year, I thought he was a LOCK for the Starting 5 and it was just a matter of would he play the 3 or 4, now I’m not as sure. I still love Trent, he has amazing talent but CSU has just added A LOT of talent so he will need to compete for it but I still feel either starting 5 or first forward off the bench. Trent WILL make his presence known early and often.
Reis Jones: The lone scholarship returning big man for the Bucs, and my forecasted starting center, Reis Jones is due to have a solid senior season. With the loss of Taje Kelly, Reis Jones is now the tenured big man in an offense that last year ran through the big man. Do I think Reis will have a Big South POY type season… probably not. Do I see him being a 7-8 PPG player who plays his role and protects the rim and glass…Yes.
Depth/Bench: B-
Thoughts: I truly think CSU has one of the best “pound for pound” depth/bench in the conference. By “pound for pound” I mean looking from the starters to the bench, how much production they will lose. For CSU I really don’t see much of drop in production if any, especially at the guard position. Whether Lofton, Blaine, Franklin or even Gause are very comparable to the starters.
At the forward spot and center spot, same idea, Devin Brafford is very much a ying to Jones’ yang, and you also have amazing depth with Coleman, Nate Brafford and Hafemeister. Coach Nimley saw how depth ruined the potential of last season and he made sure it wouldn’t happen again.