Mike White Loves Veterans; This Team's Older Than HIs Last One

Senior Chris Chiozza is the unquestioned leader (and point guard) of the UF team heading into the 2017-18 season.

Mike White Loves Veterans; This Team's Older Than HIs Last One

Tuesday, October 3, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Point guard Chris Chiozza, already with 103 games as a Gator, has plenty of experienced company on the UF roster.

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In previewing his 2017-18 Florida basketball team during the program's annual media day Tuesday, Mike White harkened back to the 2015-16 season, his first leading the Gators. That UF team had a terrific fifth-year senior in Dorian Finney-Smith, a veteran junior in Kasey Hill and a bunch of underclassmen. As far as the makeup and balance of that roster went, White and his staff knew things had to change regarding the bigger picture. They were correct, of course, as that bunch ended the season in the National Invitational Tournament.

"We said when we first got here that we had to try to find a way to get older," White recalled. "That was a challenge for us."

Or was it?

UF's 2016-17 squad, thanks to the addition of graduate transfer Canyon Barry, entered the year with five players with at least 64 games of Division-I experience and three with at least 47 starts. That core of experience and maturity was at the heart of the Gators' return to national prominence, as Florida went 27-9, finished second in the Southeastern Conference and eventually lost in the Elite Eight, just one win short of the Final Four.

Which brings us to the Florida '17-18 roster.

Fifth-year senior center John Egbunu, recovering from knee surgery, is expected back in January.

It's even older, deeper and more experienced. It's also more talented, especially on the offensive end, but that's a story for another day. This one is about a team, with senior point guard Chris Chiozza at the forefront, that features six players who have logged at least 67 games of D-I basketball, with three that have started at least 70.

And here's a rub: Chiozza isn't even among that latter number, even though his 105 career games leads the team. He's only started 33, but who comes to mind first when you think of the obvious leader — not to mention architect of last season's most riveting moment — as far as the next edition of the Gators?

"A lot of teams that go deep in the tournament, they're pretty experienced and know what it takes to win," Chiozza said. "When it comes to late in the season, when everyone is tired and thinking how hard it is to make it through a game, experience takes over and gets you there. It's knowing what it takes to win — boxing out on a key possession, communicating on defense, making big free throws — you learn how to do it by playing and experiencing those things."

Chiozza is one of three seniors on the team, alongside fifth-year center John Egbunu, who is recovering from knee surgery and expected to be cleared to play in January, and fifth-year transfer forward Egor Koulechov, who was a two-year starter and first-team All Conference-USA selection at Rice.

Now, add two-year starter and returning scoring leader KeVaughn Allen, whose experience and offensive skills have him within 77 points of joining UF's 1,000 point club, plus junior center Kevarrius Hayes, who's played all but one game during his two seasons at Florida and started during its NCAA Tournament run last March.

Finally, roll in fourth-year junior swingman Jalen Hudson, who sat out last season, per NCAA rules, after transferring from Virginia Tech, where he started the better part of his sophomore year.

All told, those six players have a combined 499 career games under their belts. Last year's club had 373.

Players	Position / Class	Games	Starts
Chris Chiozza	Point Guard / Senior	105	33
Egor Koulechov	Forward / 5th-year Senior (graduate transfer)	94	74
John Egbunu	Center / 5th-year Senior	90	80
KeVaughn Allen	Guard / Junior	72	70
Kevarrius Hayes	Center / Junior	71	22
Jalen Hudson	Forward-Guard / 4th-year Junior	67	27
Totals		499	306

"We feel like if your locker room's right, the culture's right, the experienced, older, more bought-in guys are, in my opinion, a little bit better than younger, high-character, bought-in guys," White said. "I think sometimes experience can backfire on you when you've got some bad chemistry, and you've got a rough culture that you're dealing with because I think older frustrated guys might be harder to deal with than younger frustrated guys who have light at the end of the tunnel as a sophomore, as a junior, as a senior."

The Gators don't believe that will be a problem this season.

"Off the court, we're good guys who get along well," Hayes said. "We bond. There are no issues. From there, things will click on the court."

Much is still to be determined as far as defining roles. For example, how will the minutes be distributed between Koulechov and Hudson, two proven scorers, at the "3" spot? Which, if any, of the four true freshmen will break into the rotation? Who will get the bulk of the minutes as Chiozza's backup at the point?

These questions will be answered over the next 40 days of fall practice, then sorted out even further once the games begin.

Last season, redshirt freshman Keith Stone was a topical question mark.

Stone used his true freshman year of '15-16 to develop his game and work on his body. When he got called on last season, results were mixed. He had some fabulous games and some where the coaches just could not play him because of his defense. He also got sick and missed some games. Along the way, though, he gained valuable experience.

Good thing too, because Stone projects as UF's starting power forward this season.

"I have a better feel for the game now, so I'm not going to make the rookie mistakes I made last year," said Stone, who averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in just over 12 minutes a game. "The game slowed down for me. I'm communicating better. Without communication you won't play the game right. I developed an old-man's mentality."

The more old men (even in mindset), the merrier.

Forgive White, though, if he chooses to rely on the guys with the real-life, built-in maturity (and experience) to set the tone.

That's the Florida 2015 signing class in the back row -- from left: juniors KeVaughn Allen and Kevarrius Hayes, plus redshirt sophomore Keith Stone -- mugging for the camera at media day, with senior Chris Chiozza along for the ride.

"For us, the best experience to have is Gator experience," White said. "Guys who have played here, played in Exactech Arena in front of our fans and gone up against teams like Kentucky and Alabama and Florida State."

Hudson hasn't done those things, but two seasons ago he averaged 8.4 points playing for the Hokies in some hostile Atlantic Coast Conference venues. Last season, he practiced with the Gators every day, learning the system and learning his teammates.

"I haven't gotten my feet wet here, but I've played the game before, and I've put in the work since I got here," Hudson said. "I know what the coaches want. I know what they're looking for. I know I can help, and I know what this team needs. Experience has helped me with the transition."

Now, it has to help the Gators.

"Me, John, KeVaughn and Kevarrius have played three years together. Jalen was here last year and knows what to do," Chiozza said. "Egor is one of those guys like Canyon. He's smart. He'll learn the offense and plug in and know what to do. The young guys, they're going to go through some things, but the rest of us — the old guys — we'll get 'em right."