Gator Country

Billy Donovan could be only a few administrative steps away from getting the clearance he needs to sign Israel combo guard Nimrod Tishman to a scholarship. Tishman, who is averaging 18.6 points per game for the Israeli national team at the FIBA 18-and-under European tournament in France, has apparently filled out all the necessary paperwork and submitted a valid TOEFL score. Tishman’s graduation documentation will be slow arriving, according to a couple of folks who are familiar with international students, but this is not uncommon and something Florida admissions and the NCAA handle on a routine basis.

Tishman was scouted by Larry Shyatt at the FIBA European tournament where he has shown the ability to hit the three (8-15 in five games) and consistently get to the foul line (47 times in five games). He is a solid offensive player but if there is a negative, it is an unfavorable assist to turnover ratio (about 1:1). Still, he’s got a tremendous upside and would give the Gators the depth they need to compete in the Southeastern Conference this season.

With Tishman on board, the Gators would have four guards on the roster and three with point guard experience in sophomore Erving Walker, freshman Kenny Boynton and Tishman. Ray Shipman is a two guard who can play small forward. He’s a decent ball handler but not point guard experienced.

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About the author

Franz Beard

Franz has been writing sports for 42 years in various outposts like Gainesville, Jacksonville, Savannah, Richmond and Miami. He's been writing for Gator Country since 1999 and has served as the site's managing editor since 2004. He is also a contributing writer to Gator Country Magazine.

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