LAKELAND, Fla. - Ahead of his 10th season at the helm, Florida Southern College men's basketball head coach, Mike Donnelly announces the 2024-25 recruiting class. The Moccasins welcome seven new student-athletes to the program which features four transfers and three first-year students to join the nine returners for the 2024-25 campaign. 

"Our coaching staff worked diligently to identify recruits who we felt would not only help address specific needs but would also bolster our roster and support our returners. We added size, length, and athleticism to our frontcourt and perimeter shooting. I really like the versatility and overall talent level of our recruiting class, and most importantly, we added established winners who I know are excited to compete for a championship this season."

Kristians Feierbergs (Riga, Latvia) - Senior - Forward - 6'8 - 220
Transfer from D1 University of Maine. Averaged 6.2 points per game (ppg), 4.1 rebounds per game (rpg) in 32 games with 11 starts last season. Scored a season-high 16 points (4-5 3FG) vs Albany on 1/25/24. Scored 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds at Minnesota on 12/29/23. Averaged 8.9 ppg and 5.1 rpg in 2022-2023. Played in 72 career games in three seasons at Maine. Has one year of eligibility remaining.
 
"Kristians is a very talented and multi-skilled player. He is a versatile forward who we expect to flourish in our system. He will add experience, size, and physicality to our frontcourt. Kristians can play on the perimeter due to his shooting ability and overall ball skills, but he also rebounds well and effectively scores inside."
 
Peyton Gerald (Charlotte, NC) - Junior - Forward - 6'9 - 205
Transfer from D2 Catawba College. Averaged 9.7 ppg, 4.3 rbg, 1.3 steals per game (spg), and 1.5 blocks per game (bpg) last season. Shot 52.7% from the field and 70% from the free throw line. Helped lead the team to a 23-6 record and a SAC Tournament Championship in 2023-2024. Named the 2024 MVP of the SAC Tournament. Scored 656 points and pulled down over 336 rebounds with 97 blocks in three seasons at Catawba. Has one year of eligibility remaining.
 
"Peyton is a very long and athletic forward who plays with great energy at both ends of the floor. He is a terrific defensive player who has a high-level motor and makes winning plays. Peyton played an integral role in Catawba's success and is all about winning. He is also a very versatile offensive player. He runs the floor exceptionally well and has the skill to score in multiple ways. He is an exciting player."

Amare Miller (White Plains, NY) - Junior - Forward - 6'7 - 225
Transfer from D2 UNC-Pembroke. Averaged 5.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg and shot 62.6% from the field last season. Scored a season-high 24 points (12-13 FG) and pulled down 14 rebounds vs. Emporia State on 11/4/23. Played a productive role on two NCAA Tournament teams with an overall record of 49-11 the last two years. Has two years of eligibility remaining.
 
"Amare is a big, strong, and athletic forward with a ton of potential. Amare will provide terrific depth in our frontcourt. He has great hands and can score multiple ways offensively. Amare played at a high-level program for the last two years and knows what it takes to win. His best basketball is still ahead of him. His development will be fun to watch."

Hugo Mattioli (Charleroi, Belgium) - Junior - Guard - 6'2 - 180
Transfer from D1 Juco Panola College. Played a pivotal role on the 27-7 team that advanced to the National Tournament. Played well during the National Tournament, averaging 9.5 ppg and shooting 41.6% from 3-point territory. Averaged 5.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, and 1.0 spg last season. Connected on 38 3-point field goals and shot 80.0% from the free throw Line. Scored a season-high 16 points vs. Bishop State and made 4 or more 3-point field goals six times. Has two years of eligibility.
 
"We are excited to add Hugo to our roster. We like the fact that Hugo has played at a high-level program for the last two years. He understands what it takes to win, plays with toughness, and is also a willing defender. Hugo is a good shooter who we expect will help provide spacing for us out on the floor."

Ameer Ramadan (Orlando, FL) - Freshman - Guard - 6'0 - 170
Team captain at Orlando Christian Prep HS. Averaged 14.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.1 assists per game (apg), and 1.2 spg his senior season at OCP. Led team to a 25-5 record and Class 2A State Championship runner-up. Source Hoops Florida 2A Player of the Year. Named to Florida Dairy Farmers All-Area First Team. Scored over 1,000 career points. Honor Roll student.
 
"Ameer was the first recruit we signed for 2024-2025. Ameer played at one of the best HS programs in the state of Florida, so he has a ton of experience playing against high-level competition. Ameer is very tough and super competitive. He is a very good shooter, has a high IQ out on the floor and most importantly, Ameer impacts winning. He is a terrific addition to our program."
 
Raphael Tawil (Far Rockaway, NY) - Freshman - Guard - 6'4 - 170
Spent this past year at St. Andrew's School in Barrington, RI as a post-graduate student. Played in the extremely competitive NEPSAC AA Division. Averaged 16.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg, and 2.6 apg in 30 games. Made 77 3-point field goals and shot 45.3% from beyond the arc. Led his HS team to a PSAL city championship during his senior year at Scholars Academy in NY. High academic student.
 
"Raphy is a terrific shooter who has a lot of potential and upside. He had a very good season at St. Andrew's this past year against tough competition. As he continues to develop physically, we believe he will be a guy who will have a positive impact due to his high IQ, shooting ability, and overall skill set."

Luke McGinnis (Riverton, NJ) - Redshirt Freshman - 6'3 - 175
Averaged 15.0ppg, 6.0rbg, 2.0apg as a senior at Holy Cross Prep High School in New Jersey this past year. Will sit out as a redshirt during the 2024-2025 season.

Florida Southern men's basketball gets the 2024-25 campaign underway on November 2 at home against the 2024 defending NCAA Division II National Champions, Minnesota State University Mankato with a 5:45 p.m. tip. The Moccasins will host its third straight Small College Basketball National Hall of Fame Classic inside the George W. Jenkins Field House Nov. 2-3 with 10 teams over two days. After the Mocs face the Mavericks, Florida Southern will take on Point Loma Nazarene on day two of the tournament on Sunday at 5:45 p.m. The SCB National Hall of Fame Classic Tournament Page can be located HERE.