When it comes to Florida hoops, it's not about the 5-star recruits
Updated: Feb 11, 2025
A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:
For the second straight game Saturday, the Florida Gators were one man down. At a place like Duke, that means a former 5-star recruit steps in to replace the injured former 5-star recruit. At Florida, it meant Alijah Martin of Summit, Mississippi, who spent the first four years of his college basketball life at Florida Atlantic, was replaced in the starting lineup by Denzel Aberdeen, three years into the Florida program and a former 3-star recruit out of Orlando’s Dr. Phillips. Denzel also got the start back on Tuesday, this time for Walter Clayton Jr., who played for Rick Pitino at Iona before transferring to Florida. Walter was considered a better football prospect than basketball. He was a 3-star guy also.
Aberdeen had 13 points and no turnovers while replacing Clayton in the lineup against Vanderbilt, 10 points in helping the Gators past No. 1 Auburn Saturday. Clayton came back with a vengeance, scoring 19 to go with six rebounds, nine assists, a steal and a blocked shot as Florida’s collection of mere blips on the recruiting radar had a statement win, 90-81, on the road at Auburn.
In both the wins last week, the Gators got a lift off the bench from Urban Klavzar. He’s from Slovenia. Zero stars for him, but he’s got a 5-star jumper that nailed two threes against Vandy and three more against Auburn. Sam Alexis, who spent his first two seasons at Chattanooga, came off the bench in both games to hit a critical three.
Will Richard, whose career began at Belmont, was in a 22-point shooter’s coma against Vanderbilt. He scored 12 against Auburn including a 3-pointer when the Gators took the game over after a rotten start.
And then there are the big kids. Alex Condon of Perth, Australia had 19 points and nine rebounds against Vandy, 17 and 10 against Auburn. Tommy Haugh, who was going to go to Richmond before Todd Golden became the Florida coach, hustled his way to eight points and nine rebounds against Vandy, 16 points and nine more rebounds against Auburn.
The message of these two wins: It’s not about the number of 5-star recruits but about five guys who can elevate their level of play. This is a 5-star team that plays with a chip on its shoulder.
Here’s what Florida coach Todd Golden had to say about that after the 6th-ranked Gators (20-3, 7-3 SEC) bushwhacked Auburn:
“We kind of think of ourselves from top to bottom, from myself down to the last man on our team, as kind of being a team that has to play with a chip on their shoulder at all times. You know, being not necessarily underrated, but maybe, you know, underappreciated a little bit. We've been a good team all year. You know, a lot of our guys were for lack better term, underrecruited. We don't have a lot of five-star guys on our team, I don't think we have one actually. You know, we have a lot of mid-to-low major transfers, a lot of guys that weren't recruited by other teams in our league. And, you know, that's something we talk about and think about a lot, you know, is just playing with that chip on our shoulder and make sure we're the harder playing team. And, you know, without trying to take anything away from Auburn, I thought we were, you know, we executed that today. We played really, really hard."
And when the Gators are playing as hard as they did in both wins last week, they’re as good or better than any team in the country.
SEC BASKETBALL
No. 3 Alabama (20-3, 9-1 SEC): Alabama could find itself No. 1 in the polls when they come out today … After Tuesday’s game at Texas, the Crimson Tide will play seven straight games against ranked SEC opponents. NCAA NET ranking No. 6.
Arkansas (14-9, 3-7 SEC): The NIT is realistic, but if the Razorbacks can figure out a way to win four more games before the SEC Tournament, they will have a legitimate chance to make the NCAA Tournament. NCAA NET ranking No. 43.
No. 1 Auburn (21-2, 9-1 SEC): The Tigers’ bounce-back abilities will be tested this week with roadies to Vanderbilt and Alabama. Win them both and Auburn probably goes on to win the SEC regular season title. NCAA NET ranking No. 1.
No. 6 FLORIDA (20-3, 7-3 SEC): If the Gators are able to play their remaining eight SEC games with the same level of intensity they showed in wins over Vanderbilt and No. 1 Auburn last week, they could be a No. 1 seed when the NCAA reveals its tournament brackets in March. NCAA NET ranking No. 5.
Georgia (16-8, 4-7 SEC): Georgia’s NCAA hopes have taken a hit with five losses in their last seven games. The next three games are No. 15 Missouri, (at) No. 1 Auburn and No. 6 Florida. The Bulldogs need to go 4-3 minimum the rest of the way to make the NCAA Tournament. NCAA NET ranking No. 34.
No. 14 Kentucky (16-7, 5-5 SEC): The Wildcats are a mortal lock to make the NCAA Tournament as long as they get to eight SEC wins in the regular season. They could enhance their resume in a big way Tuesday night if they can knock off No. 4 Tennessee at Rupp Arena. NCAA NET ranking No. 17.
LSU (12-11, 1-9 SEC): The Tigers have lost six in a row and they might be fortunate if they can somehow walk away with one more win in the regular season. Matt McMahon isn’t likely to get the axe this year, but his seat will be blowtorch hot next year. The Tigers are No. 80 in the NCAA NET rankings. NCAA NET ranking No. 80.
No. 22 Mississippi State (17-6, 5-5 SEC): The next three are No. 6 Florida, No. 25 Ole Miss and No. 10 Texas A&M. After that four of the last five are against unranked teams. A 20-21 win season seems inevitable. NCAA NET ranking No. 29.
No. 15 Missouri (17-6, 6-4 SEC): The Tigers had an 0-2 week, losing to No. 4 Tennessee and No. 10 Texas A&M by a combined seven points. It’s a get well week for Mizzou with Oklahoma and a roadie to Georgia. NCAA NET ranking No. 23.
Oklahoma (16-7, 3-7 SEC): The question has to be asked. Is Porter Moser in danger of getting canned if the Sooners can’t make the NCAA Tournament? The Sooners have been blown out by Auburn and Tennessee in their last two games. Six of the final eight are against ranked teams. Moser is 69-51 since taking the OU job after a great run at Loyola. NCAA NET ranking No. 44.
No. 25 Ole Miss (18-6, 7-4 SEC): The Rebels are virtual shoo-ins for the NCAA Tournament but they need to win three of the last seven to be seeded somewhere between five and seven. NCAA NET ranking No. 22.
South Carolina (10-13, 0-10 SEC): The Gamecocks have played everybody close at home, then get their doors blown off on the road. This week they get No. 23 Ole Miss in Columbia before traveling to Gainesville to face No. 6 Florida on Saturday. NCAA NET ranking No. 90.
No. 4 Tennessee (20-4, 7-4 SEC): When the Vols play the way they have the past three (Florida, Missouri and Oklahoma) there isn’t a team in the country they can’t beat. Tuesday night at Kentucky will tell us if the Vols can stay in the hunt for a top four NCAA seed. NCAA NET ranking No. 4.
Texas (15-9, 4-7 SEC): The Longhorns get No. 3 Alabama and No. 14 Kentucky at home this week. After that, four of the remaining five games are against unranked teams. Twenty regular season wins should get the Longhorns in the NCAA Tournament, which should keep Rodney Terry gainfully employed for one more year. NCAA NET ranking No. 31.
No. 10 Texas A&M (18-5, 7-3 SEC): The Aggies have won five of their last six and this week they are home against Georgia and Arkansas. Four wins in their last eight should get the Aggies a No. 5 or higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. NCAA NET ranking No. 13.
Vanderbilt (17-6, 5-5 SEC): The next six games are against ranked teams, starting with Tuesday’s matchup with No. 1 Auburn in Nashville. An 8-10 SEC record probably gets the Commodores in the NCAA Tournament. A 9-9 record and it’s a no-brainer. NCAA NET ranking No. 42.
Tuesday’s games
No. 6 FLORIDA (20-3, 7-3 SEC) at No. 22 Mississippi State (17-6, 5-5 SEC)
No. 1 Auburn (21-2, 9-1 SEC) at Vanderbilt (17-6, 5-5 SEC)
No. 3 Alabama (20-3, 9-1 SEC) at Texas (15-9, 4-7 SEC)
No. 4 Tennessee (20-4, 7-4 SEC) at No. 14 Kentucky (16-7, 5-5 SEC)
Georgia (16-8, 4-7 SEC) at No. 10 Texas A&M (18-5, 7-3 SEC)
Wednesday’s games
Oklahoma (16-7, 3-7 SEC) at No. 15 Missouri (17-6, 6-4 SEC)
No. 25 Ole Miss (18-6, 7-4 SEC) at South Carolina (10-13, 0-10 SEC)
LSU (12-11, 1-9 SEC) at Arkansas (14-9, 3-7 SEC)
Saturday’s games
South Carolina (10-13, 0-10 SEC) at No. 6 FLORIDA (20-3, 7-3 SEC)
No. 1 Auburn (21-2, 9-1 SEC) at No. 3 Alabama (20-3, 9-1 SEC)
Vanderbilt (17-6, 6-6 SEC) No. 4 Tennessee (20-4, 7-4 SEC)
Arkansas (14-9, 3-7 SEC) at No. 10 Texas A&M (18-5, 7-3 SEC)
No. 14 Kentucky (16-7, 5-5 SEC) at Texas (15-9, 4-7 SEC)
No. 15 Missouri (17-6, 6-4 SEC) at Georgia (16-8, 4-7 SEC)
No. 22 Mississippi State (17-6, 6-6 SEC) at No. 25 Ole Miss (18-6, 7-4 SEC)
LSU (12-11, 1-9 SEC) at Oklahoma (16-7, 3-7 SEC)
UF SOFTBALL: GATORS 53, EVERYBODY ELSE 8
Four days and six games into the 2025 Florida softball schedule we have total carnage. The Gators are 6-0 with four run-rule games. The Gators have outscored opponents, 53-8. The team batting average is .392. Seven Gators have hit a combined 13 home runs. Team ERA is 1.80.
After a season opening run-rule win over North Florida, the Gators spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Tampa where they ran roughshod through Illinois State, Delaware, 22nd-ranked Michigan, Georgia Southern and host South Florida in the USF-Rawlings Invitational. It was brutal. The Gators dominated in every phase, but especially at the plate where they showed they can win with small ball or gorilla ball. Tim Walton has a roster that can win with speed and singles or turning stadiums into launching pads.
Freshman Taylor Shumaker, who homered in her first collegiate at bat against North Florida, hit four more in Tampa, two in the 8-0 run-rule win over host South Florida. Through six games, Shumaker is hitting .500 with two doubles, five homers and 11 RBI.
Sophomore Mia Williams, who struggled at the plate as a freshman, is off to a .588 start with three doubles, a triple, a home run and four RBI. Korbe Otis is off to a .429 start with two homers and seven RBI. Reagan Walsh has hit two doubles, two homers and has nine RBI.
In the circle, Keagan Rothrock is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and Ava Brown is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA.
The Gators are home against Jacksonville Tuesday, Stetson on Wednesday and then home Thursday through Sunday for the annual Bubly Invitational. Boston College, Providence, Binghamton and 7th-ranked Duke will provide the opposition for six games.
ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: I watched the Super Bowl halftime show. That is 10 minutes of my life I can’t get back.
Mia has lost her “freshman 15” and transformed her body which has her confidence skyrocketing…jmho. Love it as do her teammates/coaches for that dedication. Rothrock also gets kudos for the offseason work. If Clayton continues his shooting, the “twins” can play their game, which in short, is what we saw of them vs. AU. A beautiful thing to behold.
I struggled to even begin to understand what the rapper was saying and then when you add in the screaming- it was all just a blur of screeching noise.
Scott Stricklin’s bringing of Todd to UF certainly echos Jeremy Foley’s selection of that other young coach almost 30 years ago. Saturday Florida joined these programs as the only ones with 20 or more wins for 20 or more seasons this century: Duke, Kansas, Gonzaga, Kentucky and Arizona. That’s “basketball blueblood” heraldry.