Gamecock sophomore Raymond Doby in trouble

South Carolina rising sophomore Raymond Doby is the latest Gamecock basketball player in trouble with the law.

Doby was charged with a first-offense possession of one ounce or less of marijuana or 10 grams or less of hash on March 26, according to an incident report filed in Lexington County. He was fined $620.

Freshmen Eric Cobb and Jamall Gregory, who were dismissed from the team after being arrested and charged for property crimes involving a BB gun, were also charged March 26 in Lexington County with the same offense as Doby. They were each fined the same amount of $620.

“Raymond Doby had an incident off the court and it’s being handled internally within the men’s basketball program,” a USC spokesperson said. Doby is still considered part of the team.

Coach Frank Martin spoke about roster turnover in general during a Tuesday interview on Columbia’s 107.5 FM The Game.

“Unfortunately I’m having to recruit for guys to report this summer, that I didn’t expect to have to recruit, because I thought we had certain roster spots filled,” Martin said. “But that’s kind of the nature of the business right now.”

Wednesday was the start of the basketball spring signing period and Martin has to fill at least two spots that he wasn’t expecting to -- those held by Cobb and Gregory . Gregory has reportedly signed with Chipola (Fla.) College for next season.

Martin may be facing a near-total reconstruction of his roster for 2016-17. Rising sophomore Chris Silva, rising redshirt sophomore TeMarcus Blanton and rising junior Marcus Stroman remain indefinitely suspended for a conduct issue that was announced before the Gamecocks began the NIT.

If Doby is also in limbo, USC would have only four scholarship players who are in the clear for next season – rising seniors Sindarius Thornwell, Duane Notice and Justin McKie and rising sophomore P.J. Dozier.

“Obviously, there’s guys that are still suspended,” Martin told 107.5. “Where’s that going? I don’t know. They’re suspended for a reason; they’re not suspended because their haircuts were not good. There are some things that we’re dealing with there behind the scenes and I wouldn’t want anyone ever speaking about my child publicly while they’re going through a personal moment, so I will never do that.”

The Gamecocks have three commitments for next season in freshmen Sedee Keita, Maik Kotsar and Rakym Felder. Keita has already signed and Kotsar and Felder could sign their letters-of-intent during the spring period.

Martin also is in the mix for transferring players. Delaware’s Kory Holden has confirmed he will visit USC this weekend. But if he picks the Gamecocks, he would have to sit out next season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Martin also is seeking a replacement for assistant coach Lamont Evans, who left to join the staff of another former USC assistant, Brad Underwood, at Oklahoma State.

“There’s three guys that I know I want to hire, and I’m in conversations with all three of them. And there’s a pecking order,” Martin said. “We can have someone in place by next week, or if it doesn’t work out with those three guys, then I’m going to take a step back, because those are the three guys that I’ve invested time and effort into.”

This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Gamecock sophomore Raymond Doby in trouble."