Five Observations From Florida's Win Over UNF
Kerry Blackshear Jr. tested the NBA Draft waters after last season, and he realized he needed another season in college. However, he wanted to leave Virginia Tech and play his final season as a graduate transfer elsewhere.
So, he went to the school he cheered for growing up. "I always grew up a Florida Gator fan, like, everything Florida Gators," Blackshear said. "I'm really excited about being here.
And Blackshear tips off my five observations from the season-opener against UNF. He was sensational. Here's why:
1.) Blackshear is a Swiss Army knife
At 6 foot 10, he has the obvious length to rim protect and get buckets close to the basket at an elite level. His inside presence was better than anything UF has had since the presence of Joakim Noah and Al Horford. But, what makes Blackshear special is the other things.
He is not a spectacular ball handler, but he is plenty good enough for his size. He can beat you off the dribble, he can back you down and he can spot up from anywhere. His 10 rebounds make it obvious that he can be dominant on the glass. And his three assists along with many other passes out of the post prove him to be a more effective passer than your typical big man.
"I just think that we got such great guys out there," Blackshear said. "They (the guards) are taking the time to throw it into us (the forwards) and if we got a good look we got to take that. But if they're open, we're going to dime 'em."
2.) Florida can still win on bad shooting nights
The story of last season was Florida's lack of forward presence offensively. If the guards weren't shooting from outside effectively, chances are it'd be a rough day for the Gators. But this year, that doesn't feel it will be the case. UF only shot 20 percent from three, and still looked dominant on that side of the court throughout the game.
No, 74 points is not incredibly impressive, but the types of shots Florida got and the way the possessions look was a positive. The Gators looked collected out there. They made smart passes and took smart shots and have the athleticism to make special plays when needed.
3.) Mike White needs to get his rotation right
Will Scottie Lewis play shooting guard more often? Or small forward? Are Florida's best lineups smaller with guys like Noah Locke in the game? Or are the best lineups taller, featuring guys like Omar Payne?
This will define Florida's season to me. With so many newcomers, and with so little known about so many on the roster at the college level, figuring out who can contribute and where will be coach Mike White's No. 1 responsibility and it will define a season with final four hopes.
4.) Andrew Nembhard posting up works
Sophomore point guard Andrew Nembhard will have an enormous role captaining this ship for UF. With all the talent in orange and blue, it is crucial that Nembhard facilitates with a purpose and feeds guys who can change the game.
Often against UNF, and sometimes last season, Nembhard pulled a Ben Simmons and posted up just outside the paint. His gifted floor vision puts him in a great spot with his back to the basket to find open shooters and guys cutting to the rim.
5.) Scottie Lewis is raw, but his talent is special
Other than Blackshear, the biggest splash edition to Florida basketball was freshman recruit Scottie Lewis. Lewis, to the surprise of many following him and this program, has yet to start a game between the exhibition against Lynn and the season opener.
He looks a little bit sped up at times when he comes in. That is common for a freshman in the infancy of his college career. However, he displayed a few moments on Tuesday night where he was clearly a special player.
On one play especially, he got multiple feet off the ground within seconds to snatch an offensive rebound over two UNF defenders. When he hit the floor, he immediately put it back up. Two points, Gators.
Overall
After watching this team on Tuesday, my stance has not changed: This team has Final Four potential.
I have felt that way ever since the announcement of Blackshear transferring. As shaky as the outside shooting looked, we know that that comes and goes in college. The way more important aspect is that now White's team can still be effective offensively even on off shooting nights.
