When the Florida Gators take the floor Thursday night to face Flagler College in their first exhibition game, you can expect a look that’s quite similar to the 2000 team. Watch for the Gators to space the floor and run a lot of single post offense around Marreese Speights. The Gators don’t have the inside presence they’ve had the past three years, so expect Billy Donovan to take advantage of a roster that has six legitimate three-point shooters. By spreading out the floor and making teams defend the perimeter, that will open the inside up for Speights, who we’re hearing has been looking rather beastly on the offensive end of the floor.
When the Gators decide to set up in a high-low post offense, expect Speights to set up in the low blocks and you might see Chandler Parsons or Adam Allen at the high post. Both of them are good ball handlers who can hit the jumper at the key and they have three-point range. Another high post option is Jonathon Mitchell. Mitchell is an interesting option because he can play the high post on offense and defend a small forward. Parsons is almost 6-10 now and he could end up being a mismatch nightmare because he has the best three-point range on the team. Parsons can defend down low fairly well but has some problems with quick small forwards. Allen is getting a reputation as the toughest player on the team.
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