Harry Fodder: One Week Out, Gators in a Good Place

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — So, the Florida Gators played a live scrimmage against another Division-I program last weekend. Per NCAA rules, teams are allowed to scrimmage other schools in the preseason, but prohibited from publicizing the event.

Word of these so-called "secret scrimmages" tend to get out and UF coach Mike White was asked about it Thursday after a practice he opened to the media.

Per NCAA rules, he provided virtually no details.

"I can't confirm who it was [against], but I can confirm we had a secret scrimmage the other day and we played really well … really, well," White said. "I was really pleased with our effort, but to another level [also] our unselfishness and the way the ball popped and moved around the court and our shot selection. Defensively, our attention to detail and accountability to each was pretty good for late October."

Now it's early November and those same traits continue to rear themselves in practices as the Gators inch closer to the start of the 2016-17 season. UF is barely a week away from tipping things off against Florida Gulf Coast, an NCAA Tournament team last season, in the opener at Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.

On paper, Florida is two-deep at every position and just how White and his staff will juggle their top 10 players is something that will play itself out as the seasons goes.

"I'd be shocked if we had a conventional, consistent starting five," White said. "I just think the strength of this team is our experience and our depth — and the depth of that experience."

Nicely put.

He continued, "We could go a bunch of different ways. If so-and-so is playing great, he's probably going to start. If a guy starts one game and is average and one of the guys he's competing with comes off the bench and plays his butt off, he might get the nod the next night. I want our guys to be open to that. I want them to be competitive, but I also want them all pulling for each other and understanding the starting lineups are not the most important thing."

In last week's 91-63 exhibition defeat of Division II Eckerd, seven players scored at least nine points. The Gators started John Egbunu at center, Justin Leon at power forward and Devin Robinson at the other forward, with KeVaughn Allen and point guard Chris Chiozza in the backcourt. Senior point guard Kasey Hill would have gotten the start, but was resting a sore quad muscle.

In Thursday's open practice, Chiozza, backup center Kevarrius Hayes, redshirt freshman forward Keith Stone and senior grad transfer Canyon Barry all flashed some moments. Freshman guard Eric Hester missed his third straight day with an illness.

It was a typical day, except it was one with more eyes directed toward the court (including a trio of NBA scouts). White wants more of these days.

Better yet, he wants carry over into the season.

"I'm really pleased with us right now, but it's a daily evaluation with these guys," White said. "A lot of things are positives right now and it's about maintaining those things. It's easier now to have great camaraderie and great chemistry because we haven't played another team yet; starting lineups haven't been announced yet. Rotations, parents watching games, ex-coaches watching games, our fans, the feedback, their classmates on campus … . If we can remain together in our locker room and remain as healthy as we are right now — and again, we're in a really good place, but a lot of teams are — then we have a chance to be a really good team and have a good year."

Gators Calendar

Harry Fodder: One Week Out, Gators in a Good Place

Players Mentioned

KeVaughn Allen

Canyon Barry

Chris Chiozza

John Egbunu

Kevarrius Hayes

Eric Hester

Kasey Hill

Justin Leon

Devin Robinson

Keith Stone

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