Fans of Florida basketball got some bad news on Friday when head coach Mike White announced that center Jason Jitoboh will miss the rest of the season after undergoing eye surgery to repair an injury sustained just before the end of the first half in the defeat at the Tennessee Volunteers on Wednesday night.
The loss of Jitoboh further decimates an already shorthanded frontcourt, which is missing leading scorer Colin Castleton for an indefinite period due to a shoulder injury as well as transfer C.J. Felder, who has missed time recently due to a non-COVID illness. That leaves the duties in the middle of the paint to JUCO transfer center Tuongthach Gatkek and athletic forward Anthony Duruji, who stand at 6-feet-9-inches and 6-feet-7-inches, respectively.
The 6-foot-11-inch big man out of Nigeria put up 4.1 points per game with 2.4 rebounds and 0.6 blocks while averaging 10.7 minutes in his 18 appearances this season. However, Jitoboh saw increased playing time — including starts in his last four games — in the absence of Castleton and had been making the most of it, providing quality minutes on the floor for Florida. His eight points and 10 boards against the Vanderbilt Commodores, and 12 points and five boards against the Ole Miss Rebels represent the statistical highwater marks of his recent efforts.
The Gator Nation can expect a lot of small-ball moving forward as its beloved team continues to fight for a spot in the Big Dance this March.
[lawrence-related id=69000,68913]
[listicle id=68841]
[listicle id=68858]
[vertical-gallery id=68839]
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.