Gator Basketball Dooley: Gator basketball plays fast?

ChiefGator

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From our friends at Gatorsports

Dooley: Gators prepare to give fans what they want, play fast - GatorSports.com

Mike White told us Wednesday that he has a couple of guitars in his office, but hasn’t played them in a while.

He didn’t need to.

What he said on a Zoom call for a handful of beat writers was music to the ears of a lot of Gator fans.

Forget the slow, plodding Gators of the last couple of years. No longer will you be able to get to the bathroom and back during a Gator possession.

“Playing fast is in my DNA,” White said. “It’s what our guys want to do. I know it’s what our fans want to see.”

Obviously, we don’t know WHEN we will see it, but as soon as this Florida team is playing real basketball games, it will be more like a Lamborghini than one of those Ed’s discount scooters.

Look, we all understood why White last year had to play slow. He had a point guard who was built that way and the offense went through Andrew Nembhard and Kerry Blackshear Jr. with his awkward running style. Now, when I say we understood Florida’s style of play, I am obviously not speaking for the entire Gator Nation, some of whom had to bleach their eyes after watching that team play.

And there are no guarantees that a fast-paced team is going to be successful. It’s not going to be old-school Loyola Marymount (for the avocado toast generation, you can Google it).

But it has to be more fun to watch. I mean we all knew this was coming because of the changes in personnel. But the music was still pretty sweet Wednesday.

“It’s the first time in a while we’ll have a high level of speed, quickness, athleticism throughout the whole roster,” White said. “We’ll be really deep and we look forward to playing fast.”

(Was that a harp I heard in the background?)

“I’m convicted to press more, especially early on,” White said. “We’re going in with the mindset we’re going to press more.”

(Cue the celestial choir.)

“Offensively, I’d like to play more downhill.”

(Somewhere, someone is playing your favorite song.)

Florida basketball last year was hardly a disaster. The Gators were headed to their fourth straight NCAA tournament under White and freshmen like Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann were figuring things out.

But at times it was painful to watch, especially after the expectations going in were so unrealistically high.

“We were overrated last season a little bit and we proved that a little bit,” White said. “On the other hand, we were picked second in our league and were one rebound away against Kentucky from being the second seed (in the SEC tournament).

“I really don’t care (about where Florida is ranked this preseason). I just want to max out. I want to grow everybody and max out and eventually win another national championship here as it has been done in the past and has been done in other sports.”

First things first. White and his staff have to see what this team looks like in person.

Since the SEC tournament was canceled during Florida’s pregame meal at the tournament March 12 and the team flew home, White’s in-person relationship with his team has been like so many other coaches.

It hasn’t existed.

Instead, it’s been Zooms and texts and phone calls. White said that his players are finally “Zoomed out,” which means they can join the rest of America missing interaction with humans.

The team is allowed to report on Sunday for voluntary workouts, when they will be eyeballed and weighed and checked for body fat to see who worked hard during the time away and who smells like Doritos. White said he was eager to see the players who come back and that they are just as eager to get to work.

Especially Mann, who was the last player to opt out of the NBA draft and return to school. According to a Tuesday night tweet, he’s grown to 6-foot-6.

“I didn’t see that,” White said. “I hope he’s 6-6 but he was pretty good at 6-2.”

Even while Florida has to wait for news on the eligibility of Michigan transfer Colin Castleton, it’s a thick roster filled with players who can play multiple positions. The preseason rankings won’t reflect that this may be a better team than last year’s because Nembhard bolted, but it’s clear that White is excited about getting back to his roots with this team.

“I think we’re really versatile, as athletic a team as I’ve ever been able to coach and as athletic a team as there has been at Florida in awhile,” he said. “We look forward to implementing the stuff we’ve done before with this team. We could have success doing it.

“These guys have grown a little bit and if you listen to the guys they will tell you they have been working their butts off.”

There’s that music again.

Comment as you desire!
 

Musclepug

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Mike white was on steve Russell the same day as Dooley's zoom call

 

Durty South Swamp

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Thank God. You know when fooley and androol start writing complete fantasy like "kicking the door down" or this complete horse sheet, that the end is in sight.
 

rogdochar

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So, last year's Gators played slow and not the way coach White wanted them to play = that fast that's in his DNA!
I truly hope this season gets to be normal, starting on time with enough preseason practices. Hope our incoming freshmen are good enough to command lots of playing time.
 

maheo30

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I posted this in the other thread, but Fawcett proved it is highly unlikely. Dooley is sunshine pumping.

https://www.gatorcountry.com/florida-gators-basketball/will-the-gators-play-fast-in-2020-21/

Looking at college basketball history it’s surprisingly difficult for teams to suddenly start playing a lot faster, it’s usually a far more gradual climb in pace. However, Florida does share some traits with the teams that were able to make that jump.

They are getting a new lead ball handler that has proven in the past he has been able to play fast and push tempo, something that has worked for teams in the past.

They’re also going to have a veteran team with returning pieces that are going to be more experienced. Playing in transition is harder than you think and experience is huge in this area and an older Gators team is really going to help here.

Still, when you look at how few teams were able to accelerate so quickly in one year it looks like the deck is a bit stacked against the Gators. Expecting them to be in the top third of the country in offensive pace might be too much of an ask, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be faster. Even a leap into the 150s or so would be a great improvement—especially since it’s looking like the Gators are going to have a lot of talent next year. The more talented team always wants to try to push games to more possessions and for that reason it’s going to be important for this iteration of the Gators to at least get somewhat faster than what they’re currently at.

Florida should be a faster team next year, but maybe don’t expect too many barnburners.
 

MidwestChomp

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It wasn't just last year. He really hasn't played fast since he's gotten here. I'll believe it when I see it.
 

ChiefGator

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Put multiple question marks in a thread title again and face a ban.

For how long, I will self ban. And I used them to indicate that most of what was said by coach I did not believe. If I wanted to play fast, then any player who could not would learn in practice or sit on the bench. Or better yet not be recruited to play for me.
 

ChiefGator

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I posted this in the other thread, but Fawcett proved it is highly unlikely. Dooley is sunshine pumping.

Will The Gators Play Fast In 2020-21? | GatorCountry.com

Looking at college basketball history it’s surprisingly difficult for teams to suddenly start playing a lot faster, it’s usually a far more gradual climb in pace. However, Florida does share some traits with the teams that were able to make that jump.

They are getting a new lead ball handler that has proven in the past he has been able to play fast and push tempo, something that has worked for teams in the past.

They’re also going to have a veteran team with returning pieces that are going to be more experienced. Playing in transition is harder than you think and experience is huge in this area and an older Gators team is really going to help here.

Still, when you look at how few teams were able to accelerate so quickly in one year it looks like the deck is a bit stacked against the Gators. Expecting them to be in the top third of the country in offensive pace might be too much of an ask, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be faster. Even a leap into the 150s or so would be a great improvement—especially since it’s looking like the Gators are going to have a lot of talent next year. The more talented team always wants to try to push games to more possessions and for that reason it’s going to be important for this iteration of the Gators to at least get somewhat faster than what they’re currently at.

Florida should be a faster team next year, but maybe don’t expect too many barnburners.

My idea is not to just play fast but to score more and win more. There is a time to push the ball when opportunity presents itself and then other times when a good pick and roll or other set play works well. See our two NC teams for examples. I don't want to become say Auburn or the old Arkansaw teams.
 

Double Gator Dad

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It wasn't just last year. He really hasn't played fast since he's gotten here. I'll believe it when I see it.


My thoughts as well.

White was hired because of his "uptempo style that today's players want to play." So said Fooley when he hired our underqualified new coach.
White immediately started slowing his teams down each game during crucial points in the second half even though his roster was full of players that played uptempo for Billy.
Two years later he recruits a point guard named molasses and takes all the air out of the ball for two seasons. White recruited him but now wants to make it sound like he was forced to play slow because of a player he was stuck with.

Now as he prepares for season five, White, and his minion Dooley, announce that White intends to play uptempo because it is "in his DNA." What a bunch of total horsesh!t from a coach and an alleged journalist.
 

Marine1

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I see the difference being less about playing fast but playing with speed. Playing fast means playing with tempo, not walking the ball up, setting up the offense quickly, getting the ball moving. It remains to be seen how well we can do that.

Playing with speed is burning up the court and getting to the rack. Extending the defense and applying disruptive pressure with traps and taking away passing lanes. I can see this squad playing this style. There is really elite speed on this squad.
 

Theologator

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It wasn't just last year. He really hasn't played fast since he's gotten here. I'll believe it when I see it.

It wasn't just last year. He really hasn't played fast since he's gotten here. I'll believe it when I see it.

You have to have the guards to push it. Nembhard didn’t seem to like to drive the basket. Even late when all we needed was his free throws after contact. Soft. Guys like Chiozza are fearless.
 

GatorBart

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It wasn't just last year. He really hasn't played fast since he's gotten here. I'll believe it when I see it.
Through the first seven games of 2017-18 we averaged 98 points per game, 98 ppg!
Then we lost to Duke by 3, 84-87, with them outscoring us 15-2 down the stretch, and for some reason White scrapped the O and started focusing on D. We broke 80 five more times that season. :headslap:
2017-18 Men's Basketball Schedule - Florida Gators
 
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Thick&ThinG8r

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That was the Phil Knight tourney. I wish I could find the video of White post game interview after the semifinal win where we ran up and down the court, scoring close to a hundred points. White was crimson red with anger for lack of defense and I believe changed his style on the spot.
That or the players gave him the fuch you and did what they wanted.
 

Swamp Donkey

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I read these kind of articles as sort of a final warning to the coach.
 

GatorBart

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That was the Phil Knight tourney. I wish I could find the video of White post game interview after the semifinal win where we ran up and down the court, scoring close to a hundred points. White was crimson red with anger for lack of defense and I believe changed his style on the spot.
That or the players gave him the fuch you and did what they wanted.

Yep, we smoked Stanford , then beat the Zags in OT. That’s game that just went up and down, back and forth, it was great! White totally screwed Jalon Hudson that season.
 

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