HAMMOND, La. – Coming off a 2015-16 season in which Southeastern Louisiana won five of its final six regular season games and added a win in the Southland Conference Tournament, Lions third-year head coach Jay Ladner and his coaching staff continued to build for the 2016-17 season with five additions announced on Thursday.
    
     The new additions include three high school prospects – guard Michael Corchiani (Metairie, La.), forward/guard Brandon Gonzalez (Punta Gorda, Fla.) and shooting guard Chris Mejia (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) - and a pair of junior college transfers in guard/forward Davon Hayes (Northeast Mississippi Community College) and guard Eddy Polanco (College of Central Florida).
    
    "We've addressed some needs and all five of them can score the ball," Ladner said. "All five are quality young men and they have proven that since they've been on campus. We're real pleased to have them."
    
     Ladner is familiar with Hayes, having coached him at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, Miss. In 2010-11, he averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals while leading St. Stanislaus to a 34-2 record and the Class 4A state title. Hayes went on to play at Southern Miss, averaging 4.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 22 games in 2014-15 before transferring to Northeast Mississippi CC.
    
    "A big part in my decision on choosing Southeastern was being able to come and not only change the direction in my life but change the direction of this basketball program," Hayes said. "I am also being able to play for one of my favorite coaches in my high school coach, Jay Ladner."
    
    Ladner said the signing of Hayes, a 6-6, 198-pound guard/forward, brings in a type of player that is not often found in the Southland Conference.
   
    "Most of the teams in our league play three guards around the perimeter," Ladner said. "He is certainly a high level forward with the ability to shoot the basketball. I think he has a chance to be an all-league player before the year is done. I'm really excited about him and his ability to impact the program. He's really come a long way since high school. I'm really pleased with the progress he has made and he's become a very mature young man. He's married and he has that element of maturity which I think is a good balance to a lot of our younger faces. He has a chance to really make an impact on our team this year."
    
    Polanco, a 6-3, 195-pound guard, played at Wheels High School in Washington Heights, N.Y. As a senior, he averaged 18.8 points, five rebounds and 3.7 assists a game and led the team to a 29-3 regular season record and the Manhattan borough and city championships. He then went to the College of Central Florida in Ocala, Fla., where he averaged a team-high 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists and was named first-team all-conference. He also received the Mid-Florida Conference Scholar-Athlete award.
    
    "Eddy is a New York City kid and plays with that typical New York City toughness," Ladner said. "I'm very pleased with him. He's a great overall player and very versatile. He has the ability to play the one, two or three. He really gives us immediate help and really fits in our criteria of tough, complete ballplayers that have the ability to shoot the ball."
   
    Corchiani, from Metairie Park Country Day High School, has a deep basketball bloodline. His dad, Gabe, starred at the University of New Orleans and his uncle, Chris, did likewise for North Carolina State in the 1980s. His grandfather, Gabe Sr., was also a renowned basketball coach in Florida.
    
    "I really like what Coach Ladner has done with this program so far, along with what he is going to do in the future," Corchiani said of coming to Southeastern. "I also love how you feel like you are a part of a family."
    
    Corchiani, a 6-foot, 185-pound guard, helped lead Country Day to Class 1A state championships in 2013 and '14, earning Most Outstanding Player honors in both title games. The captain of head coach Mike McGuire's 2014-15 and '15-16 teams, Corchiani earned district MVP and second-team all-state honors as well as being named to the all-metro team and the Newman Invitational MVP. He averaged 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists as a senior.
   
    "He's a real tough kid who really impacts winning," Ladner said. "He's only been on campus for a few weeks this summer so far but has really impressed the coaching staff with his grit and toughness."
    
    Gonzalez, a 6-5, 200-pound small forward/shooting guard, averaged 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists his senior year as captain at Charlotte High School. Overall, he averaged 16 points and six rebounds a game.
    
    "I chose Southeastern because of the feeling I got, a family feel," Gonzalez said. "My teammates are encouraging, it's a beautiful campus with a beautiful arena and everything just feels comfortable."
    
    Ladner said Gonzalez is projected to be Hayes' understudy this season but has a chance to play as a freshman.
    
    "Brandon is another young man who fits our criteria of being tough with a high basketball IQ and the ability to score the ball," Ladner said. "He has incredible accolades and comes from a very good high school program and was very well coached. I think this is a young man who as time passes in our program and as he begins to acclimate to the Division 1 game, he has a chance to be really special because of his size and skill set."
   
    Mejia is also from Florida, helping lead Corey Stephens' Mater Academy to three straight district titles. The 6-3, 188-pound shooting guard captained the team his final two years and averaged 14 points, four rebounds and three assists. He was named second-team All-Dade County, was the Miami-Dade North All-Star Game MVP, was a member of the 1,000-point club and was the recipient of the Copa Dorada Hispanic Athlete Award with a 4.4 grade point average.
    
     "Southeastern was very professional in the way they ran things," Mejia said. "From the coaching staff to the players, everybody seemed in sync with one goal. That goal was and still is to win. I'm honored to be part of this excellent program."
    
    Ladner said what intrigued him about Mejia was his ability to shoot the ball. Mejia received the Sharpshooter Award at the 2014 Kreul Classic.

    "He's a sniper, with a long-range, high, quick release with the basketball," Ladner said. "He has the ability to really score it and he's already one of the best shooters in our program. If he will keep working and producing what he has done in the short time this summer, by the time he leaves here, he would be hard-pressed not to be one of the career leaders in 3s. He shoots the ball that well. He has a great eye and can really stretch the floor. He has a beautiful shot, is a good athlete and has good size as well."  
    
    Southeastern opens the 2016-17 campaign with an exhibition against Southern University of New Orleans on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. in the University Center. The Lions' regular season opener is against Millsaps at home on Friday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.
 
     2016 Southeastern Louisiana Men's Basketball Signing Class
     Michael Corchiani – PG – 6-0, 185 – Metairie, La. (Metairie Park Country Day)
     Brandon Gonzalez – SF/SG – 6-5, 200 – Punta Gorda, Fla. (Charlotte High School)
     Davon Hayes – G/F – 6-6, 198 – Portsmouth, Va. (Northeast Mississippi CC)
     Chris Mejia – SG – 6-3, 188 – Hialeah Gardens, Fla. (Mater Academy)
     Eddy Polanco – SG/PG – 6-3, 195 – Bronx, N.Y. (College of Central Florida)