RICHMOND — The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team has some big shoes to fill for the 2012-13 season.

EKU, which went 16-16 last season, lost two starters and three total seniors to graduation.

Three other players have also left the team.

The Colonels signed five recruits — four transfers and one high school student — and three other players are coming off redshirt seasons.

EKU’s top two scorers — Jaron Jones and Joshua Jones — graduated this spring.

Jaron Jones led the team at 17 points per game. He was also second on the team in rebounds (4.4) and assists (1.8).

Joshua Jones averaged 10.9 points per game while shooting 38.1 percent from three-point range. He added 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

EKU also lost Jeff Allgood to graduation. Allgood averaged 3.5 points per game and led the team in three-point shooting at 39.2 percent.

Starter D’Mitri Riggs, who was a junior last year, has decided to leave the team.

Riggs averaged 8.3 points and three rebounds per game.

Jabs Newby (1.7 points, 1.3 assists) and Taylor Filipek (1.2 rebounds) are transferring to other schools.

With just two starters expected back — senior Mike DiNunno (9.5 points, 2.8 assists) and sophomore Eric Stutz (eight points, 4.5 rebounds) — the Colonels may be relying heavily on this year’s recruiting class, which EKU coach Jeff Neubauer recently announced was complete.

“We’re very excited about the new guys coming into the program,” Neubauer said. “We’re hoping our class impacts us immediately.”

The new players include 6-3 guard Dominique Hagans (Lexington), 6-4 guard Jaylen Babb-Harrison (Ontario), 6-5 forward Tarius Johnson (Jackson, Tenn.), 6-4 guard/forward Marcus Lewis (Streamwood, Ill.) and 6-2 guard Corey Walden (Ormond Beach, Fl.).

Four of the five players already have college experience.

Hagans, who will be a junior at EKU, graduated from Lafayette High School in 2010 and attended Southeastern Illinois College.

While at Southeastern Illinois he averaged 16.4 points per game, 5.5 assists and three steals.

Hagans was ranked the 53rd best junior college player in the nation by Rivals Juco Junction.

“As a player Dominique Hagans is probably the most explosive player that I have been around personally,” Southeastern Illinois coach Josh Ervin said in an interview with the Register after Hagans signed with EKU.

“His ability to speed dribble, yet stay under control is amazing,” Ervin said. “Also, he has great vision of the court which allows his to maneuver his way around the defense. He is truly a gifted player and as long as he continues to grow and learn the game, there is no limit to what he could do.”

Johnson attended Three Rivers College in Norwich, Conn.

The junior averaged 20.2 points per game last season, which ranked 10th nationally among National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) players.

He also added 8.4 rebounds.

Lewis helped lead South Suburban College (South Holland, Ill.) to a third-place finish in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.

He averaged 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and was third nationally in steals with 3.5 per game.

Walden attended Division I Stetson University (DeLand, FL), before transferring to Brevard Community College (Cocoa, Fl.).

During the 2010-11 season at Stetson he was second on the team in points (12) and added 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Walden broke his foot before the start of the 2011-12 season and did not play in any games for Brevard.

Walden, who was a redshirt player last year and will come to EKU as a sophomore, has fully recovered from his injury.

Babb-Harrison attended J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate in Ajax, Onatrio.

His senior season he averaged 25 points, six rebounds and five assists.

“We might possibility redshirt one or two players,” Neubauer said. “All that will play out once we get to August and September and see these guys in practice and see how well they learn and how well they compete and get a good feel for who will help us right away.”

Sophomore forward Deverin Muff (6-10) was a redshirt player last year.

Neubauer said Muff has looked strong during summer workouts.

Under new NCAA rules, teams can workout for up to two hours each week for eight weeks during the summer.

The Colonels are holding three 40 minutes sessions each week during summer school.

“He has really shown progress,” Neubauer said of Muff. “His physicality and level of competitiveness has really improved.”

Guard Willie Cruz missed his junior season with a hand injury.

Cruz has still not been able to practice with the team, Neubauer said.

The Colonels also had a mid-year transfer — Orlando Williams — who will be eligible to begin playing in Jan., 2013.