Time For New-Look Gators to Really 'Battle'
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- The head coach and select players of the participating teams at the Battle 4 Atlantis were required to sit for a news conference yesterday in advance of the heavy-hitting tournament that opens play Wednesday amid the opulence of one of the world's most unique vacation getaways.
The second question lobbed at the Florida Gators asked their impressions so far of this magnificent resort.
Senior center Jon Horford: “I've barely been out of my room.”
Junior guard Michael Frazier: “This is a business trip. We're here to play basketball. We understand we have a goal and understand that as a team that this is not a vacation for us.”
No beaches. No deep-sea fishing or wave-runner rides. No fancy water slides through shark tanks. No snorkeling or swimming with the dolphins. Definitely no hanging out in the casino.
“I did see one pool,” senior forward Jake Kurtz. “Saw some stingrays, too, but that's about it.”
There are 10 million gallons worth of pools here and another 11 million gallons of aquariums stocked with 50,000 sea creatures. The fun-and-sun side of Atlantis, however, is for the UF support staff, their families and fans. What the basketball team makes of this competitve cram session could go a long way toward establishing the unit's identity.
Better yet, reshaping the one it's forged early in the season.
On the heels of a second-half collapse and home loss to Miami, followed by a second late-game teeter and overtime escape Friday against Louisiana-Monroe, the Gators have heard a lot -- and loudly -- about who and what they are at this stage of the 2014-15 season.
The undeniable fact is they're not very good. 
That's unfortunate, given that this Battle 4 Atlantis tournament field is loaded with star-power teams, with Florida (2-1) matched against Georgetown (3-0) in first-round play Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. The need to rededicate focus, accountability and toughness was put to the team during practices Tuesday in the makeshift ballrooms-turned-basketball courts adjacent to the Atlantis Coral Tower.
“Understand what you'll be up against!” Donovan told his players. "Embrace the physicality!"
The Hoyas, as has been their blueprint for years, have another bullish and fundamentally-sound team coached by John Thompson III. Their centerpiece is 6-foot-10 Joshua Smith, who goes anywhere from 325-350 (depending on the time of day) pounds and is highly skilled in the post. He will be a handful for a Florida frontcourt that has had its toughness challenged in games and, in turn, throughout practices the last week.
Not that those challenges have been limited to the UF big men.
Without question, the injuries to junior forward Dorian Finney-Smith, whose fractured hand cost him two games, and junior guard Eli Carter, who missed the ULM game after spraining his left foot, have impacted continuity and rhythm on both ends. The Gators went into the season knowing that key players -- such as Finney-Smith, along with Frazier and point guard Kasey Hill -- would have entirely different roles than the ones they played on last year's 36-win, Southeastern Conference-champion and Final Four team.
Now, everyone's learning just how different; and they're learning the hard way.
“Some of these guys don't have any idea in the roles they're now in of the physical and mental confrontation that goes into every single play,” said Donovan, who after the ULM game Friday staged three workouts Saturday and two more Sunday to try to get his point across. “Do you have the mental toughness and wherewithal after you miss a shot to have incredible focus and intensity to play defense? Do you have the physical toughness and willingness to confront a guy at 240 pounds flying at the rim by putting your body in play?”
Or in Smith's case, 330 pounds?
“Yeah,” Donovan added. “When you start questioning those things, as in, "I've never had to do that before.' Or, 'Wow, this is what goes into winning?' Now, you start to wonder what it takes to be a good player."
They'll find out a lot about themselves down here. Should Florida survive against Georgetown, a likely game with No. 3 Wisconsin awaits Thursday. And no matter what happens in that second round, the Friday game will put either North Carolina, UCLA, Oklahoma or Butler on the UF line of the bracket.
Assistant coach John Pelphrey, in fact, gave it to the players like so during Tuesday's shoot-around.
“Why do you think it's called the Battle 4 Atlantis? You have to battle!”
After the practice, he elaborated.
“The thing we talked about all summer long and building up to the season was a need to learn our craft; to know your job,” Pelphrey said, emphasizing again the radically varied roles of even UF's veteran players. "If you don't know your job, you can't be disciplined, you can't be repetitive. And that's what discipline is: doing the fundamental things over and over. When you you don't know your job, you get confused, you looked dazed, you kind of stand around.”
You lose your man in transition, and he hits a three. You lose your man on a pick-and-roll, and he converts a layup. You try to force an offensive play that's not there, you lose a possession."
"That's the opposite of discipline," Pelphrey said. "That's the opposite of toughness."
Yet, that's the early book on the Gators. Because it's so early, though, there's time to do something about it. Time to find that discipline and toughness.
Wouldn't this be a beautiful place to start?
