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UF Men's Basketball Under Todd Golden

Fans were allowed to attend the quick practice session, which included a scrimmage, as were a handful of high school prospects from the 2024 class. Among them was the newly-minted No. 6 prospect in the nation, Montverde (Fla.) Academy forward Asa Newell.

https://247sports.com/college/flori...ward-Asa-Newell-after-recent-visit-193368353/

=====

A 6-foot-6, 180-pound shooting guard in the 2024 class from Gainesville’s The Rock School, Wright said he was nothing short of impressed during his time around Golden throughout the afternoon of Sept. 3.

247sports.com

Local 2024 SG impressed during UF visit

Wright is unranked in the 2024 class
247sports.com 247sports.com
 
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Rueben Chinyelu, a 6-foot-10, 245-pound center prospect in the 2023 class out of NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, is set to officially visit Florida this weekend. Chinyelu will also have a chance to attend the football game against USF.

He's one of the best bigs in the 2023 class, and participated in the NBA Academy Games in Atlanta in July where he reportedly measured 6-foot-11 in shoes with a near 7-foot-8 wingspan and 9-foot-4 standing reach. Chinyelu is a “powerful athlete with explosiveness and plays with a high motor and tremendous energy,” whose game resembles that of reigning National Player of the Year, Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe.

https://247sports.com/college/flori...-official-visit-2023-class-ranking-193466037/
=====


Peyton Marshall is one of many new names within the 247Sports Top 150 Player Rankings. A 6-foot-11, 310-pound big man out of Marietta (Ga.) Kell High, Marshall was granted his debut into the top 50 after an impressive summer showing at the GBCA Live Showcase and the NBPA Top 100 Camp.
“At the end of the day, I am focused on the end goal,” Marshall said. “But the fact that people are starting to notice the work that I am putting in is pretty good. I will take that pat on the shoulder.”
Florida: “Getting recruited by them is cool. People do not consider them as a basketball school but I know a couple of guys that go there who are from Georgia that have been doing well there. The school is close to home. So they will play a part when I start thinking about my college decision.”

https://247sports.com/college/flori...all-previews-upcoming-Auburn-visit-193440502/
 
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The basketball season should be very interesting to watch unfold. Can't say I'm real optimistic, but am looking forward to seeing how things play out with the new coach and his approach.
 
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ocalaman said:
The basketball season should be very interesting to watch unfold. Can't say I'm real optimistic, but am looking forward to seeing how things play out with the new coach and his approach.
Click to expand...
Understand ocala, but I am actually optimistic for the coming season.
I hated seeing the departure of MW, but maybe it was the best for both?

I like what the new guy has done so far, and I'm thinking that he will have a very solid roster to implement his system, so we'll see how it goes.

Many have said that they believe that they make the Big Dance, and I agree with that. Now, how far they can go after getting there will be the question. And if they don't at least make the Dance, then the hiring was a mistake imo.
 
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Another look at the 2022-23 Roster:

CG Myreon Jones 6-3 177 5th Yr Sr

PF/C Colin Castleton 6-11 245 5th Yr Sr

C Jason Jitoboh 6-11 300 Sr

PF CJ Felder 6-7 240 Sr

SG Alex Klatsky 6-4 206 rsJr - WO
PG Jack May 6-4 195 rsSo - WO

SG/SF Niels Lane 6-5 215 Jr

SG/SF Kowacie Reeves 6-6 190 So

=== FNG's ===

PG Kyle Lofton 6-3 186 Grad-Sr - St Bonnie xfer

PG Trey Bonham 6-0 170 Jr - VMI xfer

CG/SF Will Richard 6-4 206 So - Belmont xfer

PF Alex Fudge 6-9 194 So - LSU xfer
-----
PG/CG Denzel Aberdeen 6-5 180 Fr - Dr Phillips HS, Orlando

SG Riley Kugel 6-5 185 **** Fr - Dr. Phillips HS, Orlando, FL

PF Aleksander Szymczyk, a 6-11 240 Fr - Germany

The class is now filled with 13 ships + 2 W-O's

Even if nobody (Reeves) leaves early for the NBA, Goldie's going to have to replace at least the 5 Sr's.
That means 2-3 more from the portal, combined with solid HS recruiting.
 
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"He has been better than I even expected him to be, in terms of work ethic, grinding in the weight room, his workouts, all of it," said Golden, whose first team officially begins 2022-23 preseason practice on Tuesday. "When your best players buy in it makes everything so much easier."

floridagators.com

Castleton Parked, Primed, Pumped for Big Fifth Year - Florida Gators

Colin Castleton was all set last spring to begin his professional career until a persuasive new coach drove to Orlando and made a pitch (a successful one, as it
floridagators.com floridagators.com
 
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instaGATOR said:
"He has been better than I even expected him to be, in terms of work ethic, grinding in the weight room, his workouts, all of it," said Golden, whose first team officially begins 2022-23 preseason practice on Tuesday. "When your best players buy in it makes everything so much easier."

floridagators.com

Castleton Parked, Primed, Pumped for Big Fifth Year - Florida Gators

Colin Castleton was all set last spring to begin his professional career until a persuasive new coach drove to Orlando and made a pitch (a successful one, as it
floridagators.com floridagators.com
Click to expand...
Excellent!!
 
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Cg1, what I like about the coming season is the PF-C positions.
IF they can stay healthy for a season. It's been years since that's happened.

C/PF Colin Castleton 6-11 245 5th Yr Sr
C Jason Jitoboh 6-11 300 Sr
PF/C Aleksander Szymczyk, a 6-11 240 Fr - Germany
PF Alex Fudge 6-9 194 So - LSU xfer
PF CJ Felder 6-7 240 Sr
 
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Not immediate help, but excellent for the future, crosses fingers...

Flory Bidunga has plenty on his plate as he continues to adjust to life in Kokomo, Indiana, after moving there as an international student from Democratic Republic of the Congo last year.

In roughly a calendar year, the 6-foot-9, 215-pound 2024 5-star center prospect has learned English, established a social life and found his footing in high school where he is working on deciding between academic passions for engineering and business, both of which he is open to studying when he reaches college.

247sports.com

Florida a top option for five-star 2024 hoops center Flory Bidunga

Bidunga is evaluated to be the No. 4 prospect in the 2024 class on the independent 247Sports rankings
247sports.com 247sports.com
 
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instaGATOR said:
Cg1, what I like about the coming season is the PF-C positions.
IF they can stay healthy for a season. It's been years since that's happened.

C/PF Colin Castleton 6-11 245 5th Yr Sr
C Jason Jitoboh 6-11 300 Sr
PF/C Aleksander Szymczyk, a 6-11 240 Fr - Germany
PF Alex Fudge 6-9 194 So - LSU xfer
PF CJ Felder 6-7 240 Sr
Click to expand...
Felder is the guy I think has a big year.
 
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Todd Golden shared that Gators wing Will Richard "dodged a bullet" after slipping in practice.

www.si.com

Gators Wing Will Richard To Miss 2-3 Weeks Due to Minor Injury

Todd Golden shared that Gators wing Will Richard 'dodged a bullet' after slipping in practice.
www.si.com www.si.com
=====

Gators guard Kyle Lofton is positioned to shine with Florida as the glue to the unit this season.

www.si.com

Gators Guard Kyle Lofton Emerging As the Glue for Florida in 2022-23

Gators guard Kyle Lofton is positioned to shine with Florida as the glue to the unit this season.
www.si.com www.si.com
 
instaGATOR said:
Gators head coach Todd Golden sets a barometer for what will define Florida's success in his first campaign.

www.si.com

Gators Todd Golden Sets Tournament-Level Expectations for Year One Campaign

Gators head coach Todd Golden sets a barometer for what will define Florida's success in his first campaign.
www.si.com www.si.com
Click to expand...
To me, the goal of any coach in any sport at UF should be winning, or at least being in contention for, the SEC title, with post season success being icing on the cake. Knowing, of course, that it's not going to happen every year, winning your conference should be the ultimate goal, IMO. I understand what Golden is saying about reaching the NCAA tournament being a reasonable and achievable goal for his first year, but I hope that mindset doesn't define his long term expectations for the program. I'm very excited, though, about watching this team to see if they can mesh their talent and win a bunch of games.
 
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ocalaman said:
To me, the goal of any coach in any sport at UF should be winning, or at least being in contention for, the SEC title, with post season success being icing on the cake. Knowing, of course, that it's not going to happen every year, winning your conference should be the ultimate goal, IMO. I understand what Golden is saying about reaching the NCAA tournament being a reasonable and achievable goal for his first year, but I hope that mindset doesn't define his long term expectations for the program. I'm very excited, though, about watching this team to see if they can mesh their talent and win a bunch of games.
Click to expand...
Reaching the NCAA tournament is a fine goal, so long as it's not the only goal.
 
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gatordad3 said:
View embedded media
Click to expand...
Fun to watch gd3, and they have a load of guys that can shoot the 3, with more getting better at it.
=====

Despite it still being relatively early, there are numerous observations to be made regarding the current state that can provide insight into the team that will hit the floor for the regular season in just over a month.

Lane, Felder, and Jit are elite defenders imo, and Szymczyk might be. (iG)
Small Lane 6-5 215, Medium - Felder 6-7 240 - Szy 6-10 233, and Jumbo Jit 6-11 300...
While the entire team will pride itself on the defensive end, ears back and getting after it....

The iG loves the depth because I've always been a 'Play the Roster' when possible kind of guy.

Golden: "I think we have double-figure guys who can play and help us win games. Sorting through that will be tough so it’s also a good problem to have.”

Golden will likely employ players based off match-ups. Simply put, Florida is at no shortage of weapons.

www.si.com

Observations and Notes From Gators Basketball Preseason Practice No. 5

What about Florida Gators' hoops stands out as they complete their first week of preseason practices?
www.si.com www.si.com
 
The way the early 2022-23 roster seems to be shaping up, to the iG.
Early practice positions/strings: Seniors in BOLD -- Freshmen -- Walk-On*

C Colin Castleton -- Jason Jitoboh

PF Alex Fudge -- CJ Felder -- Aleks Szymczyk
-----
SF Kowacie Reeves -- SF Niels Lane

SG Myreon Jones -- Will Richards -- Riley Kugel -- Alex Klatsky*

PG Kyle Lofton -- Trey Bonham -- Denzel Aberdeen -- Jack May*

The 1-2-3 positions are flexible among those 10 players.

The iG's 'Positions of Need' in the 2023 Class in descending order:
Center - SF - PF - PG - SG

2023 commit:
#42 PF Thomas Haugh 6-9 200 *** - Pennsburg, PA - 6-29-22
 
Nicktheslick said:
Great article. I admire Jason’s perseverance and will be pulling for him.
Click to expand...
KJ goes down to begin one season, and JJ goes down early in the next while CC is playing with a bad shoulder and missing games.
MW had some crappy luck, along with having to deal with a 2 year scamdemic....

I'm hoping that the the FNG has better luck, for everyone's sake....
==========

Many changes have been made within the program as they now have added 7 new faces from all over the nation and the world, including Germany. The Golden Era is well underway, and Todd Golden expects nothing but greatness. “I think this team has the makings of being an NCAA tournament team.” he proudly stated. And by the looks of the way they practice, there is no doubt that this newly formed Gator squad is something special.

Practice Atmosphere​

Before they begin practice, they all clap their way into a huddle where they all say family on the count of 3 - FAMILY! Then practice begins...

The practice is high intensity, vocal and energetic. You will never see the players stagnant as they have timed drills which smoothly transition into other drills. You will also see many players’ and coaches’ hands-on interactions throughout the practice. The energetic atmosphere of the practices is electric as the players execute plays, make impressive dunks and showcase their athleticism.

Team Leaders​

Also, the amount of basketball experience shared by this year’s team’s three fifth-year players—Myreon Jones, Colin Castleton, and transfer from St. Bonaventure Kyle Lofton —is an interesting aspect of the team. The experience of these players is displayed through their skillfully crafted techniques shown throughout the practice and scrimmage. These fifth years have accepted leadership positions wholeheartedly. As Lofton said, “Whatever I need to do for my team to win. That’s what I am going to do.” And this mentality is something that all the players have bought into.

Practices will continue until the Gators open their season on November 7th with Stony Brook.

Cristina Santiago is a senior at UF studying journalism with a concentration in sports and media...
(with some small editing by additions/subtractions by the iG)
 
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SF Will Richard returns...​

Arguably the biggest storyline for Florida since the preseason session began is the return of SF Will Richard to the practice floor, even if it came in a limited capacity. His abilities slate him for a considerable role in the Florida lineup this season. If he’s not a starter — which he will be at some point — Richard will perform as the first player off the bench for the Gators in the early portion of the season.

https://www.si.com/college/florida/basketball/florida-gators-basketball-practice-observations-news-notes-will-richard-shooters
 
Gator 3 Pt Shooters for 2022-23
Last years % stats which seem to be improving to start the new season.

SG Myreon Jones Gr/Sr- 21-22, 33 GP, 22 GS - 62/193 .321

SF Kowacie Reeves-Jr So - 21-22, 29 GP, 10 GS - 32/96 .333

PG Trey Bonham Jr - .536 2 Pt, .369 3 Pt,.831 FT @ VMI

PF CJ Felder Sr - 21-22, 30 GP, 3 GS - 14/36 .389 😲

SF/SG Will Richard So - .468 FG, (3 Pt ?) .804 FT @ Belmont, Ohio Valley FoY

SG Riley Kugel Fr -The iG is really impressed with this kids B-Ball skills.
He looks to me like he's good enough to compete for playing time as a tFr.
He flipped his commit to UF when the MsSt coach left.



==========

Joe Lunardi Projections - Updated 10/4/22

SEC - 7 Teams In the Big Dance

8 Seed UF in the EAST bracket
 

Colin Castleton named Preseason First-Team All-SEC; Gators picked 7th in SEC by Preseason Media poll​

Castleton averaged 17.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in SEC play last season (16.2 and 9.0 overall) on the way to earning coaches second-team All-SEC honors. He had 10 double-doubles last season, the most by a Gator since Marreese Speights had 10 in 2007-08.

EDIT
SEC - Predicted Order Of Finish
1.Kentucky
2.Arkansas
3.Tennessee
4.Auburn
5.Alabama
6.Texas A&M
7.Florida
8.LSU
9.Ole Miss
10.Mississippi State
11.Missouri
12.Vanderbilt
13.Georgia
14.South Carolina

Hoping Tenn's basketball team ends up like their baseball team !
LOL
https://www.on3.com/teams/florida-gators/news/colin-castleton-named-preseason-first-team-all-sec/
 
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I always expect KY to be the SEC preseason #1 team.

I was surprised to see Arkansas basketball coach Eric Musselman & his Razorbacks are 2nd in the preseason poll.

Don't know how they will compare to Nolan Richardson & his 30 minutes of Hell; but they could be interesting.

Arkansas defeated Kentucky, 75-73, in Fayetteville last season, and John Calipari was ejected from the game in the Wildcats’ previous visit to Bud Walton Arena in 2020 (though UK ultimately won that game). This is the first time since 2014 that Kentucky and Arkansas will play each other twice in the regular season.

The Razorbacks are projected by many national outlets to be UK’s top competition for league title honors this season. With fourth-year head coach Eric Musselman revitalizing the Razorbacks’ program — the Hogs have been to the Elite Eight in each of the past two seasons — the excitement is back in Fayetteville, and the atmosphere Kentucky will play in on March 4 should make for a tough test. Arkansas is adding a trio of five-star recruits — led by former UK target Nick Smith Jr. — and another wave of talented transfers for this season.
https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article265435731.html

To underscore how well regarded Arkansas basketball is by the SEC schedule makers -

Gators play @ KY - Feb 4th & KY is in G'ville Feb 22nd.
https://floridagators.com/news/2022/9/7/mens-basketball-sec-schedule-unveiled.aspx

Razorbacks @ KY Feb 7th.

KY regular-season finale is on the road @ Bud walton Arena with a Saturday Arkansas home game (Mar. 4).

FR Guard Nick Smith Jr named to media 1st team all SEC - but not the coaches.

Media recognition for Musselman's great recruiting class -
Arkansas Basketball’s 2022 recruiting class was not only tops in the SEC this past cycle, but also one of the best in Razorbacks program history. A class loaded with talent that included three five-star prospects, each of those names could easily make a key impact for the Razorbacks during the 2022-23 season.

However, if you had to pick one name in particular from that group that you should know entering the year, then Nick Smith Jr is likely your answer.

Arkansas Basketball 2022-23 Season Preview: G Nick Smith Jr​

A talented 6-foot-4 guard, Smith comes to Arkansas as a five-star prospect out of in-state North Little Rock High School. Smith was also considered as a top five player nationally in the 2022 class, as well as the No. 1 combo guard in the country and the top player in Arkansas according to the 247Sports Composite.

An accomplished prep prospect, Smith is coming off a phenomenal senior season in high school, one in which he averaged a combined 26.5 PPG, 8 RPG, and 7.3 APG. This was also only a year after the five-star averaged 25/5/4 as a junior, as well as 21/3/3 as a sophomore.
https://southboundanddown.com/2022/10/07/arkansas-basketball-2022-23-season-preview-nick-smith-jr/
 
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Musselman is a very good coach. I'm interested to see how Golden stacks up against SEC coaches and how his system plays out against a quality schedule.
 
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Arky will be very good this year. Vols will be good in regular season and then fade away tourney time. I think Florida will surprise a lot of people.
 
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