Florida Hoops Adds Two Signees
Wednesday, November 14, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Riding the wave of three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament and back-to-back Southeastern Conference Championships, the University of Florida basketball team has received National Letter of Intents from prep standouts Anthony Roberson (6-2, 175, G, Saginaw Michigan, Saginaw High School), and Matt Walsh (6-6, 190, F, Holland Pa., Germantown Academy) head coach Billy Donovan announced Wednesday afternoon.
Anthony Roberson, Guard, 6-2, 175, Saginaw, Michigan, Saginaw High School
Has a quick first step… Can distribute the ball and has the quickness to get the lane… Has great range on his jumper… Rated the top point guard in the nation by Bob Gibbons entering the summer of 2001… Rated the No. 6 top prospect in the nation and second best point guard by Prep Stars in June of 2001… Rated as the No. 8 overall prospect in the country by CNNSI.com recruiting expert Brick Oettinger… Has been compared to Stephon Marbury and Mike Bibby… One of 45 players invited to play in the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival June 17-21, 2001 in Colorado… Leading candidate for 2002 Mr. Basketball in the state of Michigan… Third-Team Parade All-American as a junior… All-State selection as a junior and a sophomore… Averaged 24.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg as a junior… Led team to 17-5 mark as a junior… Has season-high 40 points and had seven steals vs. Rockford… .Averaged 16.8 ppg, 7.4 apg and 3.2 rpg as a sophomore… Shot .460 from the field, .420 from three-point range and .770 from the foul line… Led his team to 24-3 record and to the Class A state semifinals… Hit game-winning shot vs. Midland Dow as a sophomore… Also played quarterback on state championship football team as a sophomore… Voted the best underclassman at the 2000 ABCD Camp… Was listed as one of the top five freshmen in the nation… Picked Florida over Duke and Michigan State...Verbally committed to the Gators on July 2nd, 2001… Played for coach Marshall Thomas at Saginaw High School… .Will be the first player from the state of Michigan to suit up for the Gators… Nickname is "Peeper"… Good friends with Kelvin Torbert and Jason Richardson … Played for the same AAU team, Michigan Mustangs, as Torbert… Roomed with Sean Dockery, who is headed to Duke, at the 2001 ABCD Camp… Has a tattoo of "I love this game" inscribed underneath a basketball on his left shoulder.
Matt Walsh, Forward, 6-6, 190, Holland Pa., Germantown Academy
Considered one of the top shooters in the junior class… Skilled offensive player… Ranked No. 20 at 2001 Nike All-American Camp… Averaged 20.1 pp, 4.0 rpg and 4.5 apg as a junior… Two-time First-Team All-Inter-Academic League… Scored 955 career points entering his senior season… Also considered Maryland and Arizona in the recruiting process… Played for coach Jim Fenerty at Germantown Academy… AAU Coach is Joe Westofoor… Led team to a 27-3 record and a No. 15 ranking in USA Today final poll as a junior… Had 28 points on 11-for-28 shooting to lead team to a 72-57 rout of St. Patrick's of Elizabeth, N.J… Named Philadelphia Inquirer Boys Athlete of the Week twice as a junior after scoring 19 in 59-44 win over Hatboro-Horsham in February… Other honor came after he had 19 points in a 71-53 victory against Lawrenceville and 25 points in a 68-53 win against Gilman… Free throws routine includes dribbling the ball seven times… Favorite athlete is Michael Jordan and favorite movie is He Got Game.
