GC VIP: Around the Hoop — 12/2/21 Edition

By Eric Fawcett

 

Well, that one stung.

 

I’m writing this just after the Gators took a loss to the Sooners, Florida’s first of the season.

 

Quite frankly, I didn’t enjoy that one much. But, it’s still go Gators!

 

Here are a few thoughts I’m having about the basketball program.

 

It has been over a decade since a team has gone undefeated, so, don’t be shocked or upset that the Gators lost.

 

It always seems like people overreact to the first loss of the season, and you know what, it kind of feels like human nature so I get it. However, it has been 14 years since a team has gone undefeated in college basketball so pretty much everyone is going to lose eventually, so take the loss, feel that pain as a fan, but don’t be wildly surprised that the Gators finally lost one and don’t overreact.

 

Gonzaga has already lost. Duke has already lost. Kansas, UCLA, and Kentucky have already lost, and Villanova has lost twice! It happens. It’s all about what happens next.

 

Florida’s pick and roll defense is busted.

 

This…is something that quite honestly, I think I wrote like twice, or maybe even three times in these newsletters last year. But, even though White has been able to change a few things this year that haven’t worked in the last couple of seasons, he has largely stuck by the hedging ball screen defense that Oklahoma just meticulously attacked. 

 

In Florida’s hedging defense, the big man gets to the level of the ball screen to angle off the ball handler. In doing so, the player who set the ball screen is left unguarded for a moment while a third Florida player has the responsibility of helping over to take him. That then leaves a shooter open. The goal of this defense is to not allow ball handlers to get into the paint, which Florida has been successful with, but at the cost of giving up open catch and shoot threes and wide open dunks by rollers.

 

It’s not a common defense across college basketball…and for a reason. Perhaps this game is one that finally makes Coach White change up how he chooses to guard pick and rolls.

 

Myreon Jones will have poor shooting nights.

 

This is something I have said a number of times since the Gators landed him as a transfer and I will continue to say it. Throughout his career we have seen him be very streaky, and that’s just what we have seen at Florida. He had a 1-6 night against Oklahoma, and we have seen him go 4-8 against Elon. That has always been the Myreon Jones experience, and it will almost certainly continue to happen. Luckily, over the course of the season he will almost certainly have a good percentage.

 

Mike White has really shortened the bench.

 

Only 7 players got burn against Oklahoma, something that is a major change from the last couple of seasons where the Gators have gone deep into their bench. Is that because Florida’s bench this year isn’t good? Or is it because White just loves his top 7 so much?


We don’t know for sure, but I’ll say this–when you look at recent college basketball history and you look at top 25 teams and teams that go deep in the NCAA Tournament…depth is rarely a strength. Depth is something that media and fans love to talk about, and frankly, I think it is largely overrated. The team with the best 7 guys usually wins, and I am personally a fan of White playing his best players heavy minutes.

 

Where will Florida’s crunch time scoring come from?

 

When the Gators were desperate for a bucket against Oklahoma Tyree Appleby was able to hit a few ridiculous threes, but he’s not someone who is great at finishing inside so he’s only partially an offensive threat at the end of games. It’s hard to play through post players in the clutch so Castleton can’t totally be that guy, and Myreon Jones and Brandon McKissic aren’t great at creating their own shot. Phlandrous Fleming may be the best individual creator on the team but still… it’s probably not a major strength.

 

Where Florida gets crunch time scoring from is going to be a big storyline the rest of the season, and one of the biggest things I’ll be watching for.

 

Thanks for your time, see you again next week!

 

Eric Fawcett
Eric is a basketball coach and writer from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His work has been found at NBA international properties, ESPN, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Lindy's and others. He loves zone defenses, the extra pass, and a 30 second shot clock. Growing up in Canada, an American channel showing SEC basketball games was his first exposure to Gator hoops, and he has been hooked ever since. You can follow him on Twitter at @ericfawcett_.