Major changes expected for Grambling's hoops roster

Two goals were seemingly attainable for Grambling's Shawn Walker this offseason after suffering through a 2-27 season in 2015 — earn a new contract and inject some talent into a depleted roster in search of its first winning season in 10 years.

He crossed the first one off last week when the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors approved a one-year, $120,000 contract effective July 29, 2015.

The next task will be a bit more difficult but one Walker is intent on accomplishing.

"At this point, recruiting is very important. We will make major changes to the roster for 2015-16," Walker said last week. "We'll be looking to bring in about eight players, eight to 10, and looking forward to upgrading our talent level tremendously. That's a full-time process right now."

A full-time process sounds about right, especially since Grambling was the worst offensive team in Division I with 52 points per game and finished in the bottom five in 3-point field goals made, field goal percentage, scoring margin, assists per game, assist-to-turnover ratio and turnover margin.

The roster overhaul isn't all by choice. Grambling will lose Richard Freeman, who is transferring, but it had five walk-on's last year simply out of necessity.

Walker didn't inherit much last August after Grambling fired former coach Joseph Price. Leading scorer Antwan Scott transferred to Colorado State and leading rebounder Chandler Thomas also left the program.

A'Torri Shine became the de facto go-to scorer, although he wasn't nearly as consistent as Walker needed him to be. The Tigers also had backcourt issues and relied on Chase Cormier too much as he averaged more than 30 games before sustaining an injury.

"Our major issue is to try and get more good players," Walker said.

Cormier is one of five returners. The other eight scholarships will be made up of newcomers. Joining Cormier is Richwood product Remond Brown, Mark Gray, Kyle Williams and Jefkin Agyeman-Budu.

"A large portion of the roster, we're beginning to transform kind of in the process that I think in order for us to get better we had to do," Walker said. "We're looking to build a strong foundation in terms of recruiting and upgrading our talent level, which is what we're in dire need of."

As of Monday, New Living Word's Javier Roper was the lone signee for 2015. The 6-foot-6 small forward is a top 10 recruit in Louisiana and could end up as the beginning to one of Grambling's better classes in recent memory.

Roper, a three-star prospect, signed with Grambling last fall after fielding offers from Oregon State and Western Kentucky.

"At this point, he's the only guy who has officially signed," Walker said. "We do have mega prospects we're looking to solidify."

Grambling added Nigel Riberio, a 6-foot point guard from Virginia, to the roster Tuesday when he signed his national letter of intent with the Tigers. Grambling has a verbal committment from Raekwon Harney, a 6-foot junior college guard from North Carolina.

Riberio and Harney add point guard depth behind Cormier, who will be a junior in 2016.

Roper will provide Grambling with a definitive scoring option, something the Tigers haven't had since Scott left the program.

However, the major void on Grambling's roster is size. Williams (6-9) and Gray (6-7) are a start, but Walker is looking to add bodies to the frontcourt to help rebound and defend.

"We need to get deeper and stronger, and I think so far we're headed down the right track to do that," Walker said.

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