Preseason Primer: Gators Open Fall Practice Next Week
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida basketball team has been on the practice court for its NCAA allotted hours (two per week in the spring, four since Summer "B") and doing its usual offseason work in the weight room for the better part of nearly six months. Now, here it is, mid-September, and the Gators will hit the practice floor for real next week.
As in, for the start of full-blown, preseason workouts on Sept. 28. Mike White is 67-39 in three seasons at UF.
Mark your calendars, Rowdy Reptiles.
Media Day is next Tuesday.
There's an exhibition game against Florida Southern on Oct. 30 at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center.
Then comes the earliest opening day in program history — Nov. 6 at rival Florida State, which reached the Elite Eight last season.
Close your eyes and the season will be here.
Better yet, lock your eyes on the text below as we play a little word association game with the players on the roster. I'll throw out the name, followed by one or two words I believe reflect what their roles will be heading into the 2018-19 season.
Those roles (and their perception), of course, are subject to change.
UF returns three starters and a few key reserves from a team that went 21-13 last season and advanced to its second straight NCAA Tournament under Coach Mike White, who is now entering his fourth season with the Gators. White and his staff must replace arguably the best point guard in school history in Chris Chiozza, as well as Egor Koulechov, a highly regarded three-point shooter and overachieving rebounder.
In the bigger picture? The bigs. White and his staff have to find a way to close the canyon-like chasm of productivity between the perimeter and interior. Guard play (from basically four positions) carried the club last season. Post play (specifically, a lack of size, physicality and production) held the Gators back.
That was last year. A lot can change.
OK, let's play.
Jalen Hudson led the team in scoring last season at 15.5 points per game.
JALEN HUDSON — "Leader"
This word might as well have a dual meaning. Hudson, the 6-foot-6 swingman entering his second season since transferring from Virginia Tech, is a fifth-year senior and the oldest player on the squad. Since taking his name out of the early entry NBA draft pool and opting to return for his final season, Hudson has assumed the alpha role among his teammates. He talks to players. He asks questions of coaches. He encourages. Ultimately, he figures to be the one who takes charge on the floor in games, especially when the ball is in his hands. Hudson will "lead" the Gators in scoring — there's that second (and obvious) connotation — for the second straight season, after averaging 15.5 points and shooting 40 percent from the 3-point line. He is always looking to score, always probing for lanes, always in attack mode. Hudson made admirable strides in his defense last season and anything similar in '18-19 will secure his status as an all-league player.
KeVaughn AllenKeVAUGHN ALLEN — "Enigma"
So what version of Allen will the Gators get in his senior season, when the talented two-guard enters as the No. 30 all-time scorer in school history (1,297 points)? Will they get the Allen who led the team in scoring as a sophomore (with that epic 35-point outburst at Madison Square Garden in the Sweet 16) or the one who was fourth in scoring last season? Will they get the Allen who went four straight SEC games last year scoring in single digits and then erupted for a season-high 28 against Arkansas? Will they get the one that went scoreless and took just three shots in a late-season loss at Tennessee or the one who three nights later rained in 24 on eventual league co-champ Auburn? It's really up to Allen. White has made it no secret that Allen has the green light to shoot any time he wants. He's been encouraged (if not badgered) about being more assertive with his offense, especially when it comes to driving to the basket and taking on contact. Get this: Allen currently ranks No. 1 in UF basketball history in career free-throw percentage (.857), yet he was the fourth on the team in free-throw attempts last season and went nine games — including one stretch of four straight SEC games — without attempting a single one. Allen is on pace to leave Florida as the No. 6 scorer in school history, a remarkable individual achievement. But will he be as a player who left UF fans thinking there could have been even more.
It's time for Keith Stone, who has a very unique skill set for the "4" position, to take the next big jump in what will be his fourth season in the program.
KEITH STONE — "X-factor"
Put me in the camp that believes Stone, the 6-8, 245-pound fourth-year junior, is about to have a breakout kind of a season. The team's imbalance on the perimeter and interior will be talked about until the Gators give us reason to do otherwise, but Stone is not (and will not be) part of that problem. His ability to shoot 3s (42.4 percent in '17-18) from the "4" position makes him a match-up problem even more so this season because Stone did the gym rat thing over the summer and honed a post-up, turn-around jumper that, with his size, low-body strength and high release, will be difficult to guard. If he's double-teamed, Stone will have shooters lurking at the arc with triggers cocked. Look for his career rebounding numbers (3.3 per game) to at least double (he had 18 in two NCAA Tournament games last season). Are these ambitious predictions? They are. Stone, though, has worked toward and, right now, looks like a poster child for the benefits of that developmental redshirt year he took as a true freshman.
UF ranked near the bottom of the SEC in shooting percent inside the two-point line last season, and new assistant coach Al Pinkins has devoted a ton of offseasons reps in helping senior center Kevarrius Hayes hone his finishing techniques around the basket.
KEVARRIUS HAYES — "Finish strong"
Like Allen, his senior classmate, consider this another double entendre. Hayes, the 6-9, 227-pounder, has basically been the starting center since taking over for the injured John Egbunutwo-thirds of the way through his sophomore season. Along the way, he's developed his body and gotten stronger, but that growth hasn't always translated on the floor. As a sophomore, post-Egbunu, Hayes averaged 6.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in helping UF to the Elite Eight. As a junior who started 25 of 33 games, Hayes averaged 4.6 points and 4.0 rebounds. In fairness, Florida's overall lack of an inside game last season allowed defenses to extend on the perimeter and leave Hayes alone in the post, where he was not a threat to make much happen on the block. His strength is being active in the paint (on both ends, especially as a help defender and shot-blocker), running the floor in transition and crashing the glass for putbacks. Hayes had some maddening moments of missed point-blank bunnies (even dunks) last season. The need to finish and complete plays in close has been the greatest point of emphasis since the arrival of associate head coach coach Al Pinkins, by way of Texas Tech, and especially for Hayes. He is a great kid and vocal leader who has the respect of his teammates. It would be nice to see Hayes finish his UF career in appropriate fashion.
ANDREW NEMBHARD — "Pressure" Andrew Nembhard
All this true freshman has to do is walk on a college basketball court for the first time in his life and replace the all-time assists leader and one of the most popular players in UF basketball history. Oh, and on a team with no true backup point guard, no less. Nembhard, with his elite Montverde (Fla.) Academy and FIBA Team Canada pedigree, is neither oblivious nor daunted by the challenge ahead. The first five-star signee of the White era arrived on campus this summer both humble and unassuming, despite the fact everyone in the building knew he'd instantly be installed as the starting point guard. Some recruiting analysts pegged Nembhard as the top pure passer on the 2017-18 signing circuit. He led Montverde to the so-called prep national championship, dishing 13 assists in the title game. For Canada in the FIBA U18 Americas tournament, he averaged 15.7 points and 8.8 assists, scoring 28 in a game against Argentina and carding 18 assists in the semifinals against Puerto Rico. At 6-5, he'll give an altogether different look than Chiozza. He's not a great shooter, but Nembhard can make open shots, and his deceptive quickness and wiry length get him to the rim. On this team, Nembhard won't have to score — Chiozza ranked third in scoring last season and fourth in field-goal attempts — and won't necessarily be looking to, either.
Mike OkauruMIKE OKAURU — "Tweener"
He's not a natural point guard, but the 6-3, 180-pound sophomore looms as the backup to Nembhard pretty much by default. Last year's experiment to give Allen possessions at the point didn't work. Allen just was not comfortable in a role that required assertiveness, communication and a take-charge mentality. Okauru, heading into the season, looks like a candidate for the most improved player on the team, given how up-and-down his freshman season turned out. Sometimes he flashed as a scorer. Okauru had a three-game SEC stretch when he averaged 10 points and hit five 3s. Sometimes, he was absent from the stat sheet, like the five-game run when he totaled one point. As a defender, he was loose at times, but got better as the season wore on — and so did his attitude. He carried a lot of what he learned last season into the offseason, put in the work — he and Nembhard were matched up in virtually every practice and pick-up game to get him playmaker reps — and solidified his place in the rotation and role he'll have to grow into (Note: Of Okauru's 21 assists for the season, only 10 came after the start of SEC season, a span of 22 games). He's got some versatility on the defensive end (he can guard the "3" spot, if need be) and the coaches think he now has a little "dog" in him when it comes to competing. Obviously, that's good.
Dontay Bassett likes when things get physical in the low post.
DONTAY BASSETT — "Contact"
The Florida coaches begged for more physicality last season, but the '17-18 Gators just weren't wired that way — except for Bassett. After redshirting as a true freshman, Bassett just wanted to get on the floor. When he did, he banged bodies. That not only applied to games, but practices as well, and that part of Bassett's game remains very much in vogue. He enjoys contact, a trait that showed up in his limited playing time last season. Bassett was on the floor for just 178 minutes, but was hit with 40 fouls (in his first three games, he had 11 fouls in 19 minutes, with two disqualifications). If UF is going to establish itself in the front court, guys like Bassett must find a way for physical play and discipline to co-exist. There's a role for Bassett, now 6-9 and 237, on this team. He is a terrific communicator on defense and will speak his mind behind the scenes, as well. He has a chance to provide reserve minutes to a mostly unproven front court, but he can't do that if he can't stay on the floor.
ISAIAH STOKES — "Big" Isaiah Stokes
This word applies to both his size and potential impact on this team. Stokes goes 6-8 and ____ pounds. Why the blank space? Well, since arriving at UF as a freshman in the summer of '17, Stokes has worked toward shedding the weight he put out after blowing out his knee in January of that year during his senior season at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, where he was a consensus top-60 prospect. He's made excellent progress on that front, but now it's about maintaining that weight and improving his cardio conditioning after going nearly a year and a half without being cleared to run full go. The younger brother of former Tennessee and All-SEC power forward Jarnell Stokes is as skilled a post player as the Gators have had in probably a decade. Stokes has excellent hands, vision and basketball IQ. He loves to set screens too, which makes him dangerous as a pick-and-pop guy because of his ability to shoot (yes, that includes 3s and free throws). There will be a learning curve as what he can get away with as far as contact (especially using his lower body to set screens) and he has a long way to go defensively because he lacks great lateral movement. Stokes' effectiveness on offense in an uptempo game will correlate with his conditioning. He does, however, provide intriguing possibilities to a team sorely in need of help in the front court. How effective he turns out to be may have a lot to do with the eventual number in that blank space when the season begins (and the ability to maintain that number).
KEYONTAE JOHNSON — "Freak"Keyontae Johnson
Not many basketball players have shown up here with a 41.5-inch vertical leap. Johnson, the 6-5, 225-pound wing by way of Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy, is as elite a pure athlete as anyone on any of the rosters of the Gators' 21 sports. He's also very long, with a 7-foot wingspan he used to garner a reputation as one of the best defenders on the AAU circuit. Besides running and jumping, Johnson doesn't do anything great, but he'll do a lot of things well enough (including guard potentially four positions) to be on the floor a bunch as a freshman and the team will be rewarded with extra possessions because of it. There will be highlights, too. Take note, "SportsCenter Top 10."
NOAH LOCKE — "Shooter" Noah Locke
The last freshman to come through with Locke's range and marksmanship was Michael Frazier II, who as a rookie shot 46.8 percent from deep, including 53.6 percent in SEC play, and averaged 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Think the coaches would sign papers to get those numbers from Locke this season? Answer: Yes. What's even better about this terrific young man? He came here knowing the guard positions were stocked and understood he'd have to wait his turn, yet showed up with the confidence to know he's going to play anyway. In practices and scrimmages he's been exactly what the recruiting scouting reports indicated he'd be as far as instant offense. Locked scored a school-record 2,350 points at Owings Mills (Md.) McDonogh High. Go ahead and anoint him as the next Gators' sniper.
Gorjok Gak, who underwent knee surgery in the spring, is still weeks away from being cleared to participate in any contact drills.
GORJOK GAK — "Rehabbing"
The 6-11, 254-pound center underwent surgery in April to repair damage to a right knee that last season severely limited his practice time and allowed him to go just 8.9 minutes over 29 games. Gak brought the injury home with him after putting up some solid numbers (11.1 points, 8.4 rebounds per game) playing for his native Australia in the World University Games, an encouraging and positive experience that never had a chance to translate here because he was never healthy. Gak seemingly spent as much time getting treatment as he did actually practicing. He had 12 points in the season's second game against North Florida and six points, four rebounds and a blocked shot over 16 minutes in the regular-season finale against Kentucky, easily his best all-around game. In between, Gak totaled just 43 points. As of this week, Gak has resumed straight-line running on the floor and is weeks away from any sort of contact-related activity. To his credit, however, no Gator was in the gym more during the offseason to work on his shot, be it while seated during the early stages of his rehab (crutches at his side) or with spot-ups the last couple months. He got high marks for his effort in the weight room, also. Frankly, no one can say how much Gak can help the team this season, other than it won't be an Egbunu deal. Gak will be back at some point.
Chase JohnsonCHASE JOHNSON — "Show me"
A concussion in the preseason limited Johnson's reps last year and he fell behind as far as learning the system and getting comfortable at the "4" position. He returned to action and got some early season playing time (enough to score 17 points and grab eight rebounds in four games) before suffering another concussion in practice. The UF medical staff shut him down for the season and now Johnson enters '18-19 as a redshirt freshman, but also having sat out a bulk of offseason workouts due to other bumps and bruises. There is no denying the 6-9, 220-pound Johnson's athleticism, nor the impressive work he's done in building up his body. He looks great running the floor — when he's on it. Johnson needs to prove he can get on the court and stay on it. Until then, whatever he can potentially provide is speculative.
Deaundrae BallardDEAUNDRAE BALLARD — "Jury's out"
When he signed out of Atlanta two falls ago, Ballard was considered White's best "get" on the recruiting trail to date. He was in the wing mix early last season — he scored double figures in three of the first four games, then went 3-for-3 from the floor against Duke — but as UF's rotation crystallized, Ballard's minutes decreased. When he did play, there were some defensive lapses. He is a talented offensive player, but with talent comes responsibility and a standard of expectation within all facts of the program. On a team with six sure-fire players in the perimeter rotation, Ballard's place in the mix remains to be seen.
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