Three things to watch in the Gators' Orange & Blue Scrimmage
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — On Tuesday, the Florida Gators take the floor at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center for an intra-squad scrimmage, tipping off at 7 p.m. EST.
For Gators fans, it will be the first time to watch the 2022-23 team in action, getting a glimpse of what to expect in year one under head coach Todd Golden.
The Gators begin the regular season on Nov. 7 at home against Stony Brook. Here are three things to watch in the Orange & Blue scrimmage:
Backcourt proves deeper in 2022-23
As basketball continues to evolve, guard play becomes more important as teams adjust their lineups and play styles. In his first offseason, Golden immediately addressed the backcourt, adding three transfers in Trey Bonham, Kyle Lofton and Will Richard. Holding over multiple players from last season, Golden also has Kowacie Reeves, Niels Lane and Myreon Jones at his disposal.
As the Gators went through preseason practice, two newcomers from the high school ranks also impressed in top-150 guards Riley Kugel and Denzel Aberdeen, both of whom hail from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida. Kugel is already competing to start at the two-point.
As the scrimmage goes on, the Gators will have various lineups to show off, including combinations at guard. With so many different skillsets available, Golden and his staff can use their guards in different situations to their advantage. Keep an eye out Tuesday for Kugel and Richard, who can score from all over the floor and has emerged as one of the team’s best shooters.
Florida’s forward battle will be one to monitor
As preseason ball went on, two Florida forwards continued to go at each other, with newcomer Alex Fudge vying for the starting four-spot with CJ Felder. Gators Online’s Pat O’Donnell broke down the battle in full, but watching the two play against each other on Tuesday will be fun.
In practice, the friendly competition between Felder and Fudge has been electric, ending in some fantastic, high-flying plays. While the two go back and forth on the court, their relationship couldn’t be better off the floor.
“We’ve built a great relationship,” Fudge said. “We’re the two 4s, and we know we’re competing for that spot. And so like, he’s giving me pointers, I’m giving him pointers. Like when we play 1-on-1, we learn from each other. We learn from each other a lot actually.”
Castleton returns after offseason surgery
Florida fans are used to watching Colin Castleton do his thing, but now that he is back at 100 percent, the 6-foot-11, 250-pound forward will look even better. Castleton suffered a shoulder injury during SEC play last season, hindering his ability on the floor. Castleton took some time off to rehab from surgery and is fresh for the 2022-23 season.
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Castleton has been named preseason first-team All-SEC and was also included on the 2023 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Watch List, an award recognizing the best centers in college basketball. With a new scheme in place and NBA scouts watching, Castleton is eager to have an elite season at Florida, which will be his last.
