By Eric Fawcett
Good morning Gator Country friends and family!
Basketball season is BACK, and that means me, Eric Fawcett, will be sending a weekly newsletter to your inbox giving you my thoughts related to all things Gator hoops.
Florida just had their first game of the season and while it was only again Elon, I certainly have plenty of thoughts!
Here is what’s on my mind after Florida’s opening game.
Florida will do some things tremendously on defense, but it’s still to be seen just where their ceiling is.
Throughout the offseason the coaching staff has talked at length about how good this team can be defensively, and some of those positive traits were on display on Tuesday against Elon. UMKC transfer Brandon McKissic is an absolute menace guarding the basketball, and Charleston Southern transfer Phlandrous Fleming brought some length and physicality to the wing. Returning point guard Tyree Appleby was his regular self, darting into passing lanes to come away with steals.
Florida is very quick to the basketball and has a lot of guys that love to defend. For that reason, there are going to be some moments where they look incredible defensively. However, I still think this team lacks the high end length and athleticism to be truly great defensively. There are still plenty of times where they are going to play multiple 6’3” and under players on the perimeter, and that will cause some matchup problems against the future NBA players dotted all over the SEC.
There will be some great matchups for the Gators where they overwhelm opponents with speed and active hands, but I’m not quite ready to say they’ll be a truly elite defense, though that may come.
Finally, Florida has changed their offense.
Throughout the last six years the Gators have played largely the same offense, with some small changes. At first it was the dribble drive, then some Princeton, then back to dribble drive, then into some modified Princeton and heavy ball screen.
This year, they’re playing 5-out spacing and using a lot of split cuts and off ball screening, a breath of fresh air after the last couple of seasons. The five out spacing is far more conducive to ball movement than what was the case the last couple of years and that was shown against Elon where the ball was zipping side to side with high tempo.
I’m likely going to have to wait a couple of games until there is more film to share, but I will definitely be writing about the changes to the offensive scheme. You can definitely keep an eye out for that at Gator Country.
We got the full Myreon Jones experience the last week or so.
Myreon Jones, a transfer from Penn State, has always been an incredibly streaky shooter. His form isn’t exactly picturesque, and that makes for stretches where he can go very hot and very cold. Throughout his time at Penn State we’d see games where he didn’t hit a three and had a number of air balls, and then the next game he’d be on fire.
In the exhibition against Embry-Riddle, he went 0-6. Mike White commented in the post game that he didn’t think Jones would have many nights like that, but it wasn’t unheard of for it to happen at Penn State.
However, what happened next?
Just like how it happened at Penn State, Jones followed up an 0-6 performance with a 4-8 outing against Elon in front of the bright lights at the O’Dome.
Get used to it, because this is the true Myreon Jones experience.
Fortunately, throughout his career the good nights have outshined his bad nights and he has had two straight seasons hitting 40% of his threes. Considering he did that in the Big Ten, it should be expected that he can do it in the SEC as well.
Tyree Appleby’s importance to the Gators remains apparent.
When Florida took the floor against Embry-Riddle the starting lineup didn’t feature Tyree Appleby, something that shocked fans and media alike. Mike White said he wanted Appleby to bring energy off the bench, which, given Appleby’s energy…makes sense?
However, it was apparent very quickly that the Gators were lacking a true point guard with Appleby off the floor and he entered the game quickly, and ultimately led the Gators in minutes.
Fast forward to the first game of the season against Elon, and Appleby was in the starting lineup like many expected.
His ability to handle the ball and pressure defenses with his speed and shot making is so important to the Gators, and it’s a bit shocking that there was a bit of time where the Gators didn’t see that importance and had him coming off the bench. Against Elon he showcased something that he has done throughout his career–making tough shots off the dribble. That was Tre Mann’s role last year, and since he’s gone, Appleby could definitely take on that role.
Turnovers remain a bit of an issue with Appleby, but some of them I don’t think were his fault. He whizzed a couple fastball passes by teammates who weren’t expecting him to make such a precise pass, and had they been paying attention they would have had layups. Yes, a couple of the turnovers were definitely his fault, but there is a lot of context required when looking at turnover stats and Tyree Appleby.
The Florida State game will set the trajectory of this season.
You never want to put too much importance on a single game but when it comes to Florida’s season it’s hard not to put an extreme amount of stock into the upcoming Florida State game on Sunday. If Florida wins, there will be some palpable excitement from hardcore fans and casuals alike who are looking for an orange and blue team to be excited about following the football debacle. If Florida loses, well, no matter what they do for the rest of the non-conference season there are going to be some fans who don’t believe the team is for real no matter what.
Of course, this year the Seminoles are once again very good and loaded with freakish size and athleticism. It will be a tough game and a tough matchup for the Gators, but man will it ever be a satisfying win if they can come away victorious.
Have a great week, and go Gators!