Tag: Will Richard

Florida basketball adds elite transfer portal C Micah Handlogten

The Florida Gators men’s basketball team have added a second player through the transfer portal, former Marshall center Micah Handlogten.

The second year of the (Todd) Golden Era at Florida will look a lot different from the first with the departures of three of the team’s most prominent big men, Colin Castleton, Jason Jitoboh and CJ Felder.

Replacing the production those three provided is no easy task, especially Castleton’s workload, but the Gators added a major piece of its new-look frontcourt on Monday with the commitment of former Marshall center Micah Handlogten. The 7-foot-1-inch big man chose Florida over Auburn and NC State after entering the portal as one of the top big-man transfers in the country.

His commitment comes fresh off a visit to the Swamp over the weekend. On3’s Joe Tipton spoke with Handlogten about the decision and learned that the visit was among the many reasons the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year chose Florida.

“I chose Florida because of the opportunity that the University holds,” Handlogten said. “They have an opening for a center to come in and play major minutes. After going on my visit, I mesh really well with the players and I love the coaches. I really think I can thrive under their coaching and become a pro at Florida.”

Handlogten is among the nation’s top shot blockers, which is something Florida fans have gotten used to with Castleton down low. Speaking of the now-former Gator, Castleton was a direct participant in Handlogten’s recruitment, according to Jacob Rudner of 247Sports. The two big men caught up during Handlogten’s recent visit, and Castleton sold the University of Florida to him.

Gainesville is certainly a good place for big men to thrive, and Handlogten has the numbers to warrant a starting role right away. He averaged 7.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.2 assists in 25.3 minutes per game as a freshman.

His conditioning should only improve, which means his playing time will too. Averaging a double-double seems attainable for him in his first season in the SEC.

Handlogten is the second transfer to join the Gators over the offseason. Former Yale forward EJ Jarvis is also committed to Florida, and the two could spend plenty of time on the court together next season.

Alex Fudge, Riley Kugel and Will Richard all figure to be major pieces for UF next season, and guard Denzel Aberdeen should get a chance to play more as a sophomore.

Alex Szymczyk is the other returning player on the roster, and freshmen Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon will join the team. That leaves four scholarship spots left for Florida to fill through the transfer portal.

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Could Florida’s Riley Kugel be NBA bound this offseason?

Florida guard Riley Kugel only got better as the 2022-23 college basketball season went on, and now he has to decide whether he should stay in school for another year or head to the pros.

Florida head basketball coach Todd Golden has a ton of roster spots to fill heading into Year 2 with the Gators, but it might be keeping the talent that’s already on the roster that proves to be the biggest challenge. A core of [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag], [autotag]Alex Fudge[/autotag] and [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] next season is a decent one to work with, but there are questions about whether or not Kugel will make it back to Florida for another season.

Although he denied transfer rumors a little over three weeks ago, Kugel’s name has continually come up in draft conversations since. There’s little doubt that Kugel has the skill set to play in the association one day, but could that day come as soon as next year?

If Kugel declares, there’s no guarantee he’ll be selected. Returning for another year would give him a chance to continue his development and evolve into a bonafide first-round pick. That said, Kugel has already made incredible strides over just one season at the college level.

“The jump he made within the SEC play was remarkable,” Golden said regarding Kugel’s play down the stretch, according to 247Sports. “Like you don’t see that very often. You know, I think the last eight or nine games he was averaging close to 20 points a game. I mean, just pretty, pretty impressive stuff.”

Kugel averaged 17.3 points per game on 49.6% shooting for Florida to close out the season. He can finish at the rim and shot 45.7% from three-point range late over the final six games of the year.

There are plenty of reasons for NBA teams to be interested in a 19-year-old that shows such promise. Golden and the Gator Collective will pull out all the stops to get him to stay, just as they did to keep [autotag]Colin Castleton[/autotag] a year ago. But, it’s Kugel’s call whether or not he begins his professional career.

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Florida hoops hosting Iona transfer on official visit over weekend

The Gators are getting one of their top targets in the transfer portal on campus this weekend for an official visit.

Florida basketball’s efforts in the transfer portal continued on Friday when the team hosted former Iona guard [autotag]Walter Clayton Jr[/autotag]. on an official visit, according to the New York Post.

Clayton broke out over the last two seasons with the Iona Gaels, averaging 16.8 points per game and shooting an efficient 43.1% from three-point range in 2022-23. He led the country with a 95.3% free-throw percentage as well, making him one of the best shooters on the open market.

Despite entering the portal just a couple of days ago, Clayton is already down to two programs, the University of Florida and St. John’s University. Florida presents an opportunity to play in one of the toughest conferences in the country, and St. John’s is where former Iona coach Rick Pitino is headed after agreeing to a new deal.

“It’s really just between St. John’s and Florida, to be honest,” he said. “My mind is either going back down South or coming with Coach P.”

A reunion with Pitino seems like a tough story to beat, but student-athletes don’t always make decisions based on what their heart wants. The business decision might be going to UF and getting a closer look from pro scouts against tougher competition.

Clayton would immediately jump into the starting lineup with eight players from last year’s Florida team already gone. Right now, [autotag]Denzel Aberdeen[/autotag], [autotag]Alex Fudge[/autotag], [autotag]Alex Klatsky[/autotag], [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag], [autotag]Jack May[/autotag], [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] and [autotag]Aleks Szymczyk[/autotag] remain on the team. Kugel could be selected in the upcoming draft, leaving Richard as the lone guard with playing experience on the team.

Adding a player like Clayton would be massive for Florida. It would give the Gators another scoring option in the backcourt that finished the season with almost twice as many assists as turnovers. UF didn’t exactly have that with [autotag]Kyle Lofton[/autotag] and [autotag]Myreon Jones[/autotag] last season, and both are out of college eligibility anyway.

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Gators expected to lose Trey Bonham to NCAA transfer portal

Florida continues to lose players to the transfer portal after Year 1 of the Todd Golden era. Guard Trey Bonham is expected to be the latest Gators to leave the team this offseason.

Florida has already lost a good chunk of its 2022-23 men’s basketball to the NCAA transfer portal, and junior guard [autotag]Trey Bonham[/autotag] is the latest name expected to step away from the program, according to a report from All Gators.

Bonham appeared in 30 games for the Gators during his one year in Gainesville, starting 13 of those contests and reaching 20 points three times. The Virginia Military Institute transfer averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

Although he did make a string of starts early in the season, Bonham’s production dropped significantly after the calendar turned over. Offensively, he was an energetic leader off the bench, but Bonham’s defense left a lot to be desired.

[autotag]Myreon Jones[/autotag] was the better option at the other guard spot to complement [autotag]Kyle Lofton[/autotag], and there’s no guarantee Bonham takes over either’s role during his senior year. It’s not too surprising to see Bonham leave. Plenty of players gave Todd Golden a chance but there are always going to be those who don’t end up fitting.

Bonham is unique in that he’s the only Golden-era transfer to depart the team after just one year. [autotag]CJ Felder[/autotag], [autotag]Jason Jitoboh[/autotag], [autotag]Niels Lane[/autotag] and [autotag]Kowacie Reeves Jr[/autotag]. were all added to the team during the Mike White days.

The other 2022 transfers are either still with the team or out of college eligibility. [autotag]Alex Fudge[/autotag] and [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] should be foundational pieces of the lineup next season for the Gators, and Lofton is done with college hoops after five years.

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PHOTOS: Highlights from Florida basketball’s win over LSU Tigers

Take a look at some of the highlights from Florida’s fun finish to the 2022-23 campaign.

Florida basketball closed out Todd Golden’s debut regular-season campaign at the helm of the program with a strong win over the LSU Tigers on Saturday evening inside the O’Connell Center. The win gave the Gators enough to finish above the .500 mark overall at 16-15 overall and even 9-9 record in Southeastern Conference play.

[autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag] led the Gators’ attack with 21 points along with three rebounds and an assist, while [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Lofton[/autotag] added 18 and 16 points, respectively, to sum up Florida’s players in double digits. Richard also had a team-high six rebounds.

Take a look below at highlights from Florida basketball’s final game of the 2022-23 regular season against its SEC rival, the LSU Tigers.

 

 

PHOTOS: Highlights from Florida basketball’s win at Georgia Bulldogs

Take a look at a few photos from Florida’s Tuesday night win at the Georgia Bulldogs.

Florida basketball snapped its three-game losing streak on Tuesday night against the Georgia Bulldogs in Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, Georgia, to notch [autotag]Todd Golden[/autotag]’s second win over former Gators head coach Mike White this season. The Orange and Blue looked solid throughout this one and finally loosened up enough to find some flow.

[autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] led the way for Florida scoring 24 points along with five rebounds and one assist while [autotag]Riley Kugel[/autotag] added 19 of his own plus six boards and three dimes. [autotag]Myreon Jones[/autotag] was the only other Gator to join them in double-figures, dropping 14 points along with an eye-popping 12 rebounds and four assists.

Take a look below at a few highlights from Florida basketball’s win over the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens on Tuesday night.

 

Alabama dominates Florida in near 30-point blowout

Well, that was ugly… Florida got 29 and 10 from Colin Castleton and still lost by nearly 30 points to Alabama.

The Alabama Crimson Tide entered Wednesday night’s matchup with Florida a perfect 10-0 against conference opponents, and the Gators didn’t come close to slowing down the Tide’s undefeated run in an ugly 28-point rout.

Florida’s strength is typically on defense, but that wasn’t the case against Alabama. Freshman Brandon Miller scored every way possible and shut down each of Florida’s comeback bids. [autotag]Colin Castleton[/autotag] posted yet another 20-plus-point double-double and the Gators still lost by nearly 30 points.

Starting point guard [autotag]Kyle Lofton[/autotag], guard [autotag]Myreon Jones[/autotag] and forward [autotag]Alex Fudge[/autotag] combined to go 0-of-15 from the field, and Alabama’s bench more than doubled Florida’s bench’s production. It was domination from start to finish from the Tide. Florida led for precisely 0:00 of this game.

CJ Felder rejoining Florida basketball team ahead of Alabama matchup

Florida basketball is getting CJ Felder back after he stepped away from the team due to personal reasons.

After missing eight games over three weeks away from the team, forward [autotag]CJ Felder[/autotag] is rejoining the Florida Gators, according to Chris Harry of the University Athletic Association.

Felder started the season off as a member of the Gators’ starting five, averaging 17 minutes per game through Florida’s first eight contests. Head coach [autotag]Todd Golden[/autotag] switched up the lineup against Stetson on Dec. 4, moving Felder to the bench and decreasing his playing time significantly. He averaged just under nine minutes per game off the bench before stepping away from the team.

The hiatus and lack of playing time appear to be unrelated, and Felder’s absence was described as a personal decision at the time. Golden openly said that Felder was welcome back to the team, but the expectation was that he’d be out for the rest of the year.

Felder’s return is a good thing for both him and Florida. The Gators lack depth in the frontcourt with [autotag]Colin Castleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Jason Jitoboh[/autotag] as the only true big men on the roster. Felder isn’t massive, but he provides a bit more size to the four than [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] does.

Alex Fudge will still likely serve as the team’s starting power forward, but Felder should slip right back into his old role now that he’s settled. It’s unclear if he’ll participate in Florida’s game against Alabama on Wednesday, but he will travel with the team for it.

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ESPN evaluates Florida’s Todd Golden and other first-year coaches

How does Florida’s Todd Golden compare to the other first-year head coaches around the country?

When looking at the Division I college basketball first-year head coaches, Florida’s [autotag]Todd Golden[/autotag] doesn’t stand out the way Sean Miller at Xavier and Jerome Tang at Kansas State do, but he’s far from a bad hire compared to the underachievers in the class.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello took a look at each major first-year head coach in the 2022-23 college basketball season after about 20 games, and Golden is still a work in progress that’s showing promise in his eyes. Things didn’t start out so hot for Golden in Gainesville, but the team is starting to string together wins in conference play and is on the bubble of an NCAA Tournament bid.

The month of February will be crucial in determining whether Florida makes it to March Madness, but the foundation has been laid after some early struggles.

“The Gators are starting to pick up some momentum after an inauspicious start to life in the SEC,” Borzello wrote. “They’ve won five of their last six games, with the lone loss coming by two at Texas A&M. That stretch came directly after Florida lost three in a row to fall to 7-7 overall and 0-2 in the league. Golden, whose San Francisco team last season ranked in the top 30 in defensive efficiency, has the Gators at No. 12 in adjusted defensive efficiency at KenPom.

“He’s used a combination of holdovers and newcomers, with [autotag]Colin Castleton[/autotag] anchoring the defense on the interior and Belmont transfer [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] showing flashes offensively.”

One thing Borzello neglected to mention is that Golden has already gone 5-0 against the five first-year SEC head coaches: Dennis Gates at Missouri, Chris Jans at Mississippi State, Matt McMahon at LSU, Lamont Paris at South Carolina and former Florida coach [autotag]Mike White[/autotag] at Georgia.

Things could be a lot worse for Golden. Kyle Neptune’s first year at the helm for Villanova isn’t going so hot and Kenny Payne is facing a disaster scenario at Louisville, according to ESPN. Golden’s situation is more comparable to Seton Hall’s Shaheen Holloway, who is beginning to figure things out after a slow start.

It’s too early to say that Golden is among the better hires in the class, but things are pointing up more than they are down right now. Closing out Year 1 strong will help solidify him as an above-average hire.

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PHOTOS: Highlights from Florida’s close win at Mississippi State

Take a look at some of the best photos from Florida’s win over MSU on Saturday night.

Florida basketball got off to an unusually hot start on Saturday night against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, running out to an early double-digit lead before taking a nine-point margin into halftime. However, the Gators came out of the locker room sluggish and allowed their opponent to get back into the game, but ultimately held them off for the 61-59 road win.

[autotag]Colin Castleton[/autotag] led the way for the Orange and Blue despite a somewhat quiet night, dropping 13 points while grabbing four boards, notching a pair assists and steals, while blocking a shot as well. [autotag]Will Richard[/autotag] added 12 points as the only other Gator in double-digit scoring.

Take a look below at some of the highlights from Florida’s big late Saturday night win over Mississippi State to pull back over the .500 mark in Southeastern Conference play.