UF Basketball: The Gators will own the paint next year, count on it

The Florida Gators will own the paint next year. Count on it.

Todd Golden added Washington State freshman Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 245) from the portal Thursday, the second big guy to sign with Florida this week. Adding Chinyelu and Sam Alexis (6-9, 240) from Chattanooga, takes the pressure off Micah Handlogten, who doesn’t have to rush his rehab process. Golden will be able to go with a 4-man rotation of big guys until Handlogten is ready to go again. And, if the rehab is slow, there will always be the option to redshirt Handlogten.

Once Handlogten returns healthy, however, the Gators will have five bigs who are 6-9 or taller. If Olivier Rioux (7-7, 300, Montreal, Quebec/Bradenton, FL IMG Academy) reclassifies and enrolls at UF this summer, Florida will easily be the tallest team in the nation. As the old basketball saying goes, you can’t teach tall.

With Alexis, Chinyu and incoming freshman Isaiah Brown signed, Golden has 10 roster spots filled with three to be filled. From all reports, Golden will be looking to add at least two perimeter players and perhaps someone in the 6-7 to 6-8 range that can play both inside and outside.

Big guys: Micah Handlogten (7-1, 230, SO); Alex Condon (6-11, 230, FR); Thomas Haugh (6-9, 215, FR)00

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

Signed: Isaiah Brown (6-5, 190, Orlando, FL) from Orlando Christian Prep; Sam Alexis (6-9, 240, SO) from Chattanooga; Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 245, FR) from Washington State

SEC in the basketball portal

Alabama

Outgoing: SF Kris Parker (6-8, 195, RFR); SG Rylan Griffen (6-5, 185, SO); SG Davin Cosby (6-5, 205, FR); Sam Walters (6-10, 198, FR)

Incoming: PG Houston Mallette (6-5, 180, JR) from Pepperdine; SG Chris Youngblood (6-4, 212, SR) from South Florida

Arkansas

Outgoing: 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) to Texas

Incoming: C Zvonimir Ivisic (7-2, 234, FR) from Kentucky

Auburn

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

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

FLORIDA

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

Incoming: Sam Alexis (6-9, 240, SO) from Chattanooga; Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 245, SO) from Washington State

Georgia

Outgoing: 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) to Providence

Incoming: DeShayne Montgomery (6-4, 190, SO) from Mount St. Mary’s

Kentucky

Outgoing: SG Adou Thiero (6-6, 200, SO); SG Joey Hart (6-5, 203, FR) to Ball State; C Aaron Bradshaw (7-0, 220, FR) to Ohio State; C Zvonimir Ivisic (7-2, 234, FR) to Arkansas;  PG DJ Wagner (6-3, 175, FR)

LSU

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

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

Mississippi State

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

Missouri

Outgoing: SG Curt Lewis (6-5, 215, JR); PF Jesus Carralero (6-8, 210, SR); SG John Tonje (6-5, 222, SR)

Incoming: PF Jacob Crews (6-8, 210, JR) from UT-Martin; SG Tony Perkins (6-4, 210, SR) from Iowa

Oklahoma

Outgoing: 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 Houston

Ole Miss

Outgoing: 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)

Incoming: PF Mikeal Brown-Jones (6-8, 210, SR) from UNC-Greensboro; C Malik Dia (6-9, 240, SO) from Belmont; Davon Barnes (6-5, 212, JR) from Sam Houston State

South Carolina

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

Tennessee

Outgoing: 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)

Incoming: SG Darlinstone Dubar (6-6, 207, SR) from Hofstra

Texas

Outgoing: SF Alex Anamekwe (6-6, 200, SO); PG Chris Johnson (6-5, 180, FR); PF Dillon Mitchell (6-8, 205, SO); PG Tyrese Hunter (6-0, 170, JR)

Incoming: SG Tramon Mark (6-5, 180, JR) from Arkansas; PF Jayson Kent (6-8, 205, SR) from Indiana State; PG Julian Larry (6-3, 185, SR) from Indiana State

Vanderbilt

Outgoing: 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: PF Jaylen Carey (6-8, 245, FR) from James Madison; SF Tyler Nickel (6-7, 200, SO) from Virginia Tech; SG Grant Huffman (6-3, 185, SR) from Davidson

UF BASEBALL: Vandy clocks Gators, but Cag homers in 8th straight game

There wasn’t much to write home about for the Gators Thursday night in Nashville as 13th-ranked Vanderbilt (28-10, 9-7 SEC) hit four balls out of Hawkins Field to give the Commodores a 10-5 win over Florida (19-18, 7-9 SEC).  Vandy came into the game dead last in the SEC in home runs, but the Commodores lit up Brandon Neely for three homers in five innings and reliever Blake Purnell for another one.

The highlight for Florida was the 22nd home run of the season by Jac Caglianone, hit in the top of the seventh with one on. With Ty Evans on first via a hit by pitch, Caglianone hit a 1-1 curve ball off Miller Green opposite field to left, extending his streak to eight straight games with a home run, one away from tying the NCAA record. Caglianone, who also had singles in the first and ninth innings, has hit in 16 consecutive games. During his hitting streak he has gone yard 13 times.

Once again, the fifth inning proved fatal for Florida starter Brandon Neely. Neely gave up two runs and four hits in the first four innings, but the bottom fell out in the fifth when the Commodores bunched five hits together including a 2-run homer by Alan Espinal for a 7-2 Vandy lead. The Gators got one run back in the top of the sixth, but Neely gave up a leadoff homer to Troy LaNeve in the bottom half to end his night. Blake Purnell came on to relieve Neely but two outs later gave up a homer to RJ Austin.

About the only thing promising about Florida’s pitching was freshman Frank Menendez, who set down all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth innings.

In addition to Caglianone’s home run, Tyler Shelnut hit his 11th homer of the season in the fourth. Colby Shelton had an RBI ground out in the first and Luke Heyman had an RBI single in the sixth.

Game two of the series will be on ESPN2 tonight (7 p.m.) with lefty Pierce Coppola Florida’s likely starter.

UF MEN’S TENNIS: Gators knock off Vandy, 4-2, at SEC Tournament

Down 2-0, the Gators won four consecutive singles matches at the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Baton Rouge Thursday afternoon for a 4-2 win over Vanderbilt that sends UF into the quarter-final round. The Gators (13-10) will face 2nd-seeded Tennessee (21-5) at 3 p.m. today.

After dropping the doubles point and No. 1 singles, the Gators roared back with wins at No. 2 by Kim Aidan, No. 3 by Nate Bonetto, No. 4 by Adhithya Ganesan and No. 5 by Tanapatt Nirundorn to advance to the quarter-finals.  

UF SPORTS FRIDAY

The 9th-ranked Florida softball team (36-9, 10-5 SEC) will be home against South Carolina (28-15-1, 5-10 SEC) at 6 p.m. (SEC Network+) … Florida’s 14th-ranked women’s tennis team (15-7) will be facing South Carolina (17-6) in an SEC Tournament quarter-final match beginning at 9 a.m.

SEC FOOTBALL: Another busy day in the transfer portal

Alabama

Outgoing: PK Reed Harradine (6-3, 185, FR); WR Andre Craig (6-0, 180, SO)

Incoming: OT Kadyn Proctor (6-7, 360, FR) from Iowa

Arkansas

Outgoing: TE Francis Sherman (6-3, 237, SR); RB Isaiah Augustave (6-2, 208, RFR); OT Andrew Chamblee (6-6, 304, FR); QB Jacolby Criswell (6-1, 230, JR); EDGE Jashaud Stewart (6-2, 257, SR); P Max Fletcher (6-5, 174, SO)

Auburn

Outgoing: DL Brenton Williams (6-3, 262, FR); CB J.D. Rhym (6-1, 178, SO); LS Kyle Vaccarella (6-3, 229, SO); WR Ja’Varrius Johnson (5-10, 167, SR)

FLORIDA

Outgoing: LB Mannie Nunnery (6-2, 227, RSR)

Georgia

Outgoing: RB Andrew Paul (5-11, 218, FR); OT Chad Lindberg (6-6, 325, JR) to Rice; WR Tyler Williams (6-3, 205, RFR)

Kentucky

Outgoing: RB LaVell Wright (5-11, 202, JR); WR Darius Cannon (5-9, 175, FR); WR Raymond Cottrell (6-3, 210, RFR)

LSU

Outgoing: EDGE Jaxon Howard (6-4, 240, FR); WR Khai Prean (6-0, 202, FR); CB Ryan Robinson Jr. (5-11, 180, FR); TE Connor Gilbreath (6-5, 272, SO); DL Bryce Langston (6-3, 300, SO) to Florida Atlantic

Incoming: DL Gio Paez (6-3, 310, SR) from Wisconsin

Mississippi State

Outgoing: S Trent Singleton (6-0, 195, FR); CB Luke Evans (6-2, 180, FR); P Keelan Cummings (6-3, 215, FR); WR Justin Robinson (6-4, 220, JR)

Incoming: RB Rashad Amos (6-2, 224, SR) from South Carolina

Missouri

Outgoing: WR Dannis Jackson (5-11, 171, JR)

Incoming: QB Drew Pyne (6-0, 190, SO) from Arizona State

Oklahoma

Outgoing: QB Jacob Switzer (6-2, 192, SO); Shane Whitter (6-0, 226, JR)

Ole Miss

Outgoing: DL Joshua Harris (6-4, 325, SR); QB Deljay Bailey (6-1, 200, FR)

South Carolina

Outgoing: OL Jaxon Hughes (6-6, 297, SR); EDGE Terrell Dawkins (6-4, 251, SR); WR Kelton Henderson (6-0, 165, FR)

Tennessee

Outgoing: LB Elijah Herring (6-3, 238, SO)

Texas

Outgoing: LB S’maje Burrell (6-0, 219, FR); EDGE Billy Walton III (6-3, 225, FR); OL Payton Kirkland (6-6, 350, FR); EDGE J’mond Tapp

Texas A&M

Outgoing: S Sam McCall (6-1, 185, FR); LB Alex Howard (6-2, 230, SR); S Jacoby Matthews (6-2, 215, SO); EDGE Fadil Diggs (6-5, 260, JR) to Syracuse; OL Derrick Graham (6-4, 314, SO)

Incoming: EDGE Josh Celiscar (6-4, 265, SR) from UCF

Vanderbilt

Outgoing: LB Dante Kelly (6-3, 201, FR); S John Howse IV (6-1, 195, JR); TE Josh Palmer (6-4, 192, FR)

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The Jaden Rashada saga continues. After a season in which he played three games at Arizona State (a win over D1AA Southern Utah, losses to Oklahoma State and Arizona), Rashada is on the move once again. The former Florida signee, who got a release from his national letter-of-intent when an NIL deal went sideways in January of 2023, Rashada has his name in the NCAA transfer portal.

We shouldn’t be all that surprised that Rashada is leaving Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 3-9 last season and even with the move to the Big 12, prospects for a winning season in 2024 seem grim. Additionally, Arizona State isn’t exactly flush with NIL spending dollars. Given the fact Rashada walked out on a restructured deal at UF that would have paid him quite well for a deal that was worth next to nothing at Arizona State, we shouldn’t be surprised that Rashada and pops are looking for something that pays well.

Early reports from Matt Zenitz of 247Sports indicate that Georgia is the likely landing spot for Rashada. The backups behind Georgia starter Carson Beck are former 4-star Gunner Stockton and 4-star Ryan Puglisi, a true freshman. Georgia just got a commitment earlier in the week from 4-star Ryan Montgomery.

Stay tuned on this one. Since it involves Jaden Rashada and pops, there could be several twists and turns before a final landing spot is found.