Florida Gators Basketball: Aleks Szymczyk in the portal leaves Golden with 6 roster vacancies

Photo Credit Chris Spears

Redshirt freshman big man Aleks Szymczyk (6-10, 250) put his name in the NCAA basketball transfer portal Friday afternoon, a move that probably surprised no one. Szymczyk, who was expected to be a contributor after gaining valuable playing time at the end of the season in 2023, broke his foot in the summer, had surgery and then wasn’t on the active roster until Florida’s NCAA Tournament game with Colorado.

During his year away from the active court, Szymczyk saw Florida coach Todd Golden work a successful 4-man rotation of Tyrese Samuel, Micah Handlogten, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh. After Handlogten went down with a broken leg in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game, Golden said that Szymczyk would be available to play against Colorado, but the German import was never called on.

On the surface, the transfer is most likely a win-win situation for both Szymczyk and Golden. Szymczyk didn’t play much the first half of his freshman year at UF and then sat an entire season, so he’s way behind Handlogten, Condon and Haugh and will be behind in terms of experience to transfer bigs that Golden will be bringing in. A fresh start at a school that can afford him on-the-court minutes seems exactly what Szymczyk needs.

Szymczyk’s transfer opens a roster spot for Golden who has three visitors – two transfers and one high school standout – on campus now with another transfer due in the first part of the week. On campus this weekend are Chattanooga big guy Sam Alexis (6-9, 240, SO), Florida Atlantic shooter Alijah Martin (6-2, 185, JR) and Lakeland Victory Christian point guard Lorenzo Cason (6-3, 190). Coming in first of the week will be Washington State big guy Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 245, FR).

Alexis averaged 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game for Chattanooga last season when he was named to the All-Defensive team in the Southern Conference. Martin, a three-year starter for Dusty May at Florida Atlantic, averaged 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Cason, who had a 57-point game his junior year, was committed to Florida Atlantic until May took the vacant Michigan job. He averaged 24.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game as a senior. Chinyelu averaged 4.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game coming off the bench at Wazzoo. Chinyelu, a native of Nigeria, was recruited heavily by Golden coming out of NBA Academy Africa.

With Szymczyk’s departure, the Gators have seven scholarship players, three big guys and four perimeter players, allowing Golden to go after six to fill the roster to the NCAA allowed 13 on scholarship. One spot will be filled by Isaiah Brown, signed out of Orlando Christian Prep. Because there isn’t an exact timetable for Handlogten’s recovery from a fractured leg, Golden will almost certainly bring in a minimum of two big guys with experience. It is expected that he will bring in some kind of hybrid small forward/wing guard in the 6-6 to 6-8 range. On the perimeter, it’s likely Golden brings in one pure point, a combo guard and a pure shooter.  

FLORIDA ROSTER AS OF APRIL 13, 2024

Big guys (3): Micah Handlogten (7-1, 230, SO); Alex Condon (6-11, 230, FR); Thomas Haugh (6-9, 215, FR)

Guards/wings (4): Will Richard (6-4, 206, JR); Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, JR); Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 190, SO); Kaijus Klubickas (6-2, 170, FR)

Signed: Isaiah Brown (6-5, 195, Orlando, FL Orlando Christian Prep)

SEC schools and the basketball transfer portal

The big news for the SEC in the transfer portal Friday was the departure of All-SEC center Jonas Aidoo from Tennessee as well as two Alabama guards – starter Rylan Griffen and reserve Davin Cosby. Auburn got a commitment from Furman point guard transfer JP Pegues.

Aidoo, who was also named to the SEC all-defensive team, averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots per game for the Vols, who reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. Griffen started 33 games Alabama’s Final Four team, averaging 11.9 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 39.2 percent from the 3-point line. Pegues was down to Florida and Auburn before committing to Bruce Pearl and the Tigers. At Furman, Pegues averaged 18.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

Alabama

Outgoing (3): SF Kris Parker (6-8, 195, RFR); SG Rylan Griffen (6-5, 185, SO); SG Davin Cosby (6-5, 205, FR)

Incoming (1): PG Houston Mallette (6-5, 180, JR) from Pepperdine

Arkansas

Outgoing (5): PG Keon Menifield (6-1, 150, SO); F Denijay Harris (6-7, 200, SR); WG Joseph Pinion (6-6, 195, SO) to Arkansas State; C Baye Fall (6-10, 200, FR); SG Tramon Mark (6-5, 180, JR)

Auburn

Outgoing (3): CG KD Johnson (6-0, 190, SR); PG Tre Donaldson (6-2, 190, SO); PG Aden Holloway (6-1, 178, FR)

INCOMING (1): PG JP Pegues (6-1, 165, JR) from Furman

FLORIDA

Outgoing (2): SG Riley Kugel (6-5, 206, SO) to Kansas; PF Aleks Szymczyk (6-10, 250, RFR)

Georgia

Outgoing (5): SF Matthew-Alexander Moncrief (6-7, 220, SR); PG Justin Hill (6-0, 185, SR); C Jalen Deloach (6-9, 215, JR); SG Mari Jordan (6-8, 185, RFR); WF Jabri Abdur-Rahim (6-7, 214, SR)

Kentucky

Outgoing (3): SG Adou Thiero (6-6, 200, SO); SG Joey Hart (6-5, 203, FR); C Aaron Bradshaw (7-0, 220, FR)

LSU

Outgoing (2): SF Mwani Wilkerson (6-5, 205, SO); SG Carlos Stewart (6-1, 185, JR)

Incoming (2): PG Cam Carter (6-3, 195, JR) from Kansas State; PG Jordan Sears (5-11, 175, JR) from UT-Martin

Mississippi State

Outgoing (5): PG Andrew Taylor (6-3, 190, SR); SG Trey Fort III (6-4, 195, JR); PF Jaquan Scott (6-8, 230, JR); SG Shakeel Moore (6-1, 180, SR); PF Keshawn Murphy (6-10, 245, SO)

Incoming (1): PG Kanye Clary (5-11, 192, SO) from Penn State

Missouri

Outgoing (2): SG Curt Lewis (6-5, 215, JR); PF Jesus Carralero (6-8, 210, SR)

Incoming (1): PF Jacob Crews (6-8, 210, JR) from UT-Martin

Oklahoma

Outgoing (4): CG Otega Oweh (6-5, 210, SO); PF John Hugley (6-9, 240, JR); PG Javian McCollum (6-1, 170, JR) to Georgia Tech; PG Milos Uzan (6-4, 183, SO) to Washington

Ole Miss

Outgoing (4): PF Rashaud Marshall (6-9, 220, FR) to Arkansas State; C Malique Ewin (6-10, 240); Jacob Gazzo (6-8, 215, FR); PF Cameron Barnes (6-9, 195, FR)

South Carolina

Outgoing (2): PG Meechie Johnson (6-2, 184, JR) to Ohio State; CG Ebrima Dibba (6-5, 214, SR)

Tennessee

Outgoing (4): SG Freddie Dilione (6-5, 185, FR); SG D.J. Jefferson (6-5, 2-7, FR); PF Tobe Awaka (6-8, 250, SO); C Jonas Aidoo (6-11, 230, JR)

Texas

Outgoing (2): SF Alex Anamekwe (6-6, 200, SO); PG Chris Johnson (6-5, 180, FR)

Vanderbilt

Outgoing (6): PG Paul Lewis (6-2, 170, SO); C Lee Dort (6-10, 245, SO) to California; SG Tyrin Lawrence (6-4, 200, SR); PF Colin Smith (6-8, 220); SG Jason Rivera-Torres (6-6, 180, FR); PF Carter Lang (6-9, 235, FR)

Incoming (2): PF Jaylen Carey (6-8, 245, FR) from James Madison; SF Tyler Nickel (6-7, 200, SO) from Virginia Tech

UF BASEBALL: Gators drop series opener to South Carolina, 10-3

Florida (17-16, 6-7 SEC) fell behind early and never recovered Friday night, dropping a 10-3 decision to South Carolina (24-10, 7-6 SEC) before a crowd of 7,869 at Condron Family Ballpark.  It was the fifth consecutive loss for the Gators, their fourth straight in Southeastern Conference play. The Gators and Gamecocks will play game two of their series this afternoon at 4 p.m.

South Carolina touched Florida starter Brandon Neely for a home run in the first and two in the fifth, adding two more runs in the sixth when they increased their lead to 5-1. Florida countered in the bottom half of the inning with a 2-run homer to right field by Jac Caglianone, his 18th of the season. The home run was the 58th of Caglianone’s Florida career and moved him into sole possession of second place behind Matt LaPorta on Florida’s all-time home run list.

The Gamecocks added five runs in the ninth to close the game out.

When the Gators and Gamecocks square off this afternoon, Florida’s starter could be Pierce Coppola, who has undergone back surgery and shoulder surgery since making his Florida debut in the season opener in 2022.

UF SOFTBALL: Missouri rallies late to take down UF, 6-3

Held hitless through the first five innings by Keagan Rothrock, Missouri (32-10, 6-7 SEC) put together a 4-run rally in the sixth and went on to take a 6-3 win over the 9th-ranked Gators (34-8, 9-4 SEC) in Columbia Saturday evening.

Florida scored single runs in the first, second and third innings. Korbe Otis doubled in Skylar Wallace in the first, Ava Brown homered in the second and Reagan Walsh singled in Otis in the third but that was all the scoring the Gators would do.

Missouri scored two in the second without a hit thanks in part to a walk and two hit batters. In the sixth, the Tigers scored three on a walk, a hit batter and three singles.

Game two of the weekend series will be on SEC Network today (1:30 p.m.).

UF MEN’S TENNIS: Gators fall to Arkansas, 4-3

The doubles point was the difference Friday evening as the 25th-ranked Gators (11-10, 5-6 SEC) dropped a 4-3 decision to Arkansas in Fayetteville. The Gators and Razorbacks split the singles with Arkansas winning numbers one through three and the Gators taking the final three singles matches. The Gators will be home to face South Carolina Sunday afternoon.

UF WOMEN’S GOLF: Gators tied for ninth after first round at SEC

Florida posted a first round 8-over par 288 Friday to finish in a 9th-place tie, 13 shots off the pace of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championships at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.

Marina Escobar shot a first round 2-under, 68 to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place in the individual competition, two shots off the lead. Maisie Filler was one of seven players who shot a 69. Escobar and Filler were the only Gators to break par.