FGCU men’s hoops team welcomes new players at summer session

FORT MYERS, Fla. The FGCU men’s basketball team had several new additions at the team’s summer practice Tuesday.

The Eagles signed redshirt sophomore Troy Baxter Jr., of UNLV, sophomore forward Brady Ernst, of Indian Hills Community College, shooting guard Dinero Mercurius, of Daytona State, true freshmen point guard Darnell Rogers of Fort Mill, South Carolina, and forward Brian Thomas of Kell, Georgia.

“It’s a new experience for all of us,” FGCU senior Christian Terrel said. “We go from everybody knowing what they’re doing to kind of having to teach them what they’re doing and it’s a great opportunity for us to help them out.”

Many players from last season are also returning, including ASUN conference player of the year frontrunner Brandon Goodwin, Zach Johnson, Antravious Simmons, RaySean Scott Jr. and Christian Carlyle.

Junior Ricky Doyle, a transfer from the University of Michigan and Bishop Verot alum, is now eligible this season and slated to be the Eagles’ starting center. But after undergoing surgeries for sleep apnea and rupturing his appendix, he’s not ready to go full force quite yet.

“I know how it feels to train at a high level, so when I wanted to come back, I would go immediately back to that training and I would just kill myself,” he said. “I would go work out for a day and then not move for a week. Being out for that long, losing all those old muscles, I kind of have to reestablish myself.”

Click here to see FGCU’s schedule for the upcoming season.