Adversity? Rueben Chinyelu knows how to deal with it

Rueben Chinyelu (9) has dealt with his share of adversity

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Masters of disaster. That is one of the better descriptions of this Florida basketball team that seems intent on turning white knuckles finishes into an art form. If the win over UConn didn’t have you gripping your chest and hollering, “It’s the big one!” then the Texas Tech win that got the Gators to the Final Four had you on the verge of calling 911.

The Gators are 34-4 this season with 27 of their wins coming in blowout fashion. In winning the Southeastern Conference Tournament, the Gators beat Missouri, Alabama and Tennessee by a combined 45 points. All three teams were ranked and both Alabama and Tennessee made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. In their 4-0 run that has the Gators at the Final Four where they will face Auburn (32-5) Saturday (6:09 p.m., CBS) in the first of two semifinals.

In the NCAA Tournament, the Gators have blown the doors off Norfolk State in a first round game and Maryland in the Sweet 16. It is the second round (UConn) and Elite Eight (Texas Tech) games that have shown the Gators are more than capable of dealing with the kind of adverse circumstances that turn the knees of lesser teams into Jello. In those two games, the Gators haven’t withered when games were on the line. If anything, the tougher the circumstances the tougher this Florida team becomes.

Rueben Chinyelu, who speaks gently, precisely enunciating each syllable in the accent of his native Nigeria, knows adverse circumstances far better than most. When tough situations have come his way he has met them head on, fighting them with an unwavering positive attitude.

“No matter what’s going on, I know how I started and I know how I ended up here,” Chinyelu said Friday morning. “I’m not afraid of ‘Oh it’s not going my way,’ because I know it’s never going to be easy. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. Just have to stay the course, you know, believe and keep working and just know that everything is going to be the way it’s supposed to be in due time.”

Chinyelu came to Florida through the NCAA transfer portal. He signed with Washington State, spent his freshman year at Wazzoo, and then transferred to Florida after his freshman year. Getting to Washington State was an ordeal.

“When I was going through the struggle of getting the visa back in Nigeria, it was kind of tough,” Chinyelu said. “One thing I never lose sight of is being positive and the adage of your time is going to come.”

Getting to Florida has everything to do with staying positive and how good things happen to those who stay the course. Todd Golden was trying to recruit Chinyelu at the Nike Global event in 2023 but Chinyelu took the offer from Washington State instead. It was at that event that Golden discovered Alex Condon, who was playing for Australia. Golden lost Chinyelu to Wazzoo while Condon signed with Florida. When Kyle Smith left Washington State for Stanford, Chinyelu went into the portal. This time Golden got him and now Condon and Chinyelu are starters for the Gators.

Losing his father was a tougher blow for Chinyelu than dealing with the NCAA, but in the time since his father’s death, family and teammates have sustained him.

“I have always wanted to make Pops proud,” Chinyelu said. “It’s always about him but at the same time it’s for my family. Everything I do is for him and my family. Whatever I’m doing right now, I’m working hard right now doing everything I can to be successful in society, you know be a good gentleman. It’s all for my family, my pops and my mom and everything she’s been through, my siblings just being able to come out here and represent my family and represent Africa and the organization. It’s a big moment for me.”

Chinyelu came to Florida last summer along with fellow transfers Alijah Martin (from Florida Atlantic) and Sam Alexis (from Chattanooga). Freshmen Isaiah Brown, Urban Klavzar and Viktor Mikic also joined the Gators during the summer. Six new faces blended instantly with Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, Denzell Aberdeen, Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Micah Handlogten and Kajus Kublickas.

For Chinyelu, there weren’t just teammates and new coaches at Florida. Teammates were like brothers, coaches like fathers and uncles. The bond has only grown since then and it sustains the Gators through cardiac moments such as the ones with UConn and Texas Tech.

“With the team, I think that’s what we all see,” Chinyelu said. “We all believe in each other, trust each other. I think that’s something that is good, the belief we have, the trust we have in all of the work we put in is coming to the light. It’s due time and it’s keeping us going.”

SEC IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL

Alabama: C Noah Williamson (7-0, 224, JR from Bucknell); SF Naas Cunningham (6-7, 175, FR); Taylor Bol Bowen (from Florida State)

Arkansas: SG Melo Sanchez (6-4, 185, JR); C Zvonimir Ivisic (7-2, 235, SO); PG Casmir Chavis (6-0, 180, FR)

Auburn: PF Keyshawn Hall (6-7, 240, JR, from UCF)

Georgia: SG Silas Demary Jr. (6-5, 195, JR) to UConn; SF RJ Godfrey (6-7, 225, JR to Clemson); SG De’Shayne Montgomery (6-4, 190, SO); PG Jeremiah Wilkinson (from California)

Kentucky: PF Kam Williams (6-8, 190, FR from Tulane); PG Kerr Kriisa (6-3, 180, SR)

LSU: PF Noah Boyde (7-0, 245, JR); SG Vyctorius Miller (6-5, 185, FR); SG Mike Williams (6-3, 180, SO); PF Corey Chest (6-8, 220, FR); SF Tyrell Ward (6-6, 195, JR); C Michael Nwoko (6-10, 245, SO from Mississippi State); PG Dedan Thomas (6-1, 170, SO from UNLV); SG Rashad King (6-6, 198, JR, from Northeastern); SG Max Mackinnon (6-5, 200, JR from Portland); C Daimion Collins (6-9, 202, SR)

Mississippi State: SG Martavious Russell (6-3, 190, SO); C Michael Nwoko (6-10, 245, SO to LSU); PG Kanye Cleary (5-11, 190, JR); C Jeremy Foumena (6-11, 235, SO); SF Adrian Myers (6-6, 205, FR); SG Riley Kugel (6-5, 210, JR)

Missouri: C Jevon Porter (6-11, 235, JR from Loyola Marymount); PF Aidan Shaw (6-9, 210, JR to Boston College); SF Marcus Allen (6-7, 220, FR)

Oklahoma: SF Jacolb-Fredson Cole (6-7, 220, FR to McNeese); C Yaya Keita (6-9, 241, JR); SG Duke Miles (6-2, 175, SR)

Ole Miss: SG TJ Caldwell (6-4, 190, JR); PG Pop Isaacs (from Creighton); C John Bol (7-2, 210, FR)

South Carolina: SG Treyson Eaglestaff (6-6, 190, JR from North Dakota); C/PF Nick Pringle (6-10, 220, SR); SF Arden Conyers; PG Zachary Davis (6-7, 200, JR); CG Austin Herro (6-3, 180, FR); PF Christ Essandoko (7-0, 285, SO from Providence); SG Cam Scott (6-6, 170, FR); PG Jamarii Thomas (6-0, 185, SR); PG Meechie Johnson (6-2, 175, SR from Ohio State)l Kobe Knox (6-5, 185, JR, from South Florida); PF Okku Federiko (6-8, 220, FR); SG Morris Ugusuk (6-4, 170, SO)

Tennessee: PG Ja’Kobi Gillespie (6-1, 175, JR, from Maryland)

Texas: SF Devon Pryor (6-7, 185, SO to Oregon); SF Dailyn Swain (from Xavier)

Texas A&M: SF Rob Dockery (6-6, 215, FR); SF Jaelyn Lee (6-6, 195, SO); PF Janusz Ratowski (6-11, 225, FR); Pharrel Payne (6-9, 255, JR); SF Solomon Washington (6-7, 225, JR); SG Andre Mills (6-4, 200, FR)6-7k 6- ; SF George Turkson (6-7, 220, FR)

Vanderbilt: SG Jason Edwards (6-1, 175, JR, to Providence); SG Jordan Williams (6-2, 215, JR); SG Alex Hemenway (6-4, 190, SR); C Jaylen Carey (6-8, 265, SO); PF Jaqualon Roberts (6-8, 230, SO); PG Karris Bilal (6-2, 190, FR); SG MJ Collins (6-4, 190, JR)