COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Forward Alex Condon poured in 25 points, grabbed seven rebounds and pitched five assists in Florida’s 100-77 blowout Sunday of Alabama, and the next day was tabbed as the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week. Not bad, right?
During that same game, though, center Rueben Chinyelu posted his league-best 13th double-double of the season (this one with 17 rebounds), defended with Niana Guerrero-like footwork that went viral on social media and one-upped Condon with National Player of the Week honors. Also, not bad.
Meanwhile, UF sophomore point guard Boogie Fland merely put together a supporting-role flirtation with a triple-double in scoring 15 points, dishing eight assists and equaling a single-game school record with eight steals in making yet another statement about his growth in the system. Fland, the sophomore transfer from Arkansas, is averaging 11.3 points, with 51 assists and just 14 turnovers in league play for a UF team playing its best basketball of season.
But not the best it will play, Fland vowed.
“We’re not there yet, not even close, but it’s been rewarding because we’re learning so much about ourselves, especially with how resilient we are,” said Fland, who also play-made his team to a record 47-point road win at South Carolina last week when he engineered an offense that banked 28 assists. “We’re a brotherhood and we know how good we are.”
Also how good they can be, which brings Fland and friends to Saturday night at sold-out Reed Arena. That’s where the 17th-ranked Gators (16-6, 7-2) will get their first look at the Texas A&M Aggies (17-5, 7-2) and their 94-foot, 3-point bombing assault known as “BuckyBall.” With the two teams locked in a tie atop the SEC the standings, the winner will take over sole possession of first place in college basketball’s strongest league.
[Read senior writer Chris Harry’s “Pregame Stuff” setup here]
“BuckyBall” is the product of A&M coach Bucky McMillan, who six years ago won his third high school state championship in Alabama and headed to nearby Samford University in Birmingham, where he led that program to 99 wins, a couple Southern Conference titles and a trip to the NCAA Tournament before the Aggies came calling last offseason. They wanted McMillan and his dizzying brand of basketball that presses after makes, after misses, out of timeouts and basically off the bus.
In other words, the Gators (and especially Fland) will be under siege for 40 minutes.
Boogie Fland (0) played an elite floor game in the win Sunday over Alabama.
UF assistant coach David Klatsky oversees a very good Florida defense, but he took a moment this week to offer a few thoughts about what Texas A&M does on that end of the floor. More specifically, the distinctive way they defend from baseline to baseline.
“They make you miss shots,” Klatsky said of the Aggies, who rank 39th overall in efficiency and 50th at forcing turnovers. “We make you miss too, but they do it differently. They do it by making things frantic. You’re like, ‘What do I do? What do I do?’ Then it’s a bad shot.”
His key for the Gators?
“Poise,” Klatsky said. “That’s the word of the week.”
In the instances – and they’re definitely will be some – when poise loses out to the pressure?
“You might need to have a short memory,” UF coach Todd Golden said.
Enter Fland, who will be the guy most often racing to take that inbound pass and dealing with on-ball pressure that invariably turns into a double-team or trap intended to force hurried – and bad – decisions in the open floor. Teams that break the press get dunks at the other end.
“AAU, that’s what it kind of looks like, so you for sure have to be poised,” Fland said. “I’m quick. I’m smart. I know how to get past it or make a pass and go get the ball back. It’s all part of keeping things organized. That [kind of on-ball pressure] doesn’t phase me.”
Boogie Fland had two run-out slams off his eight steals against the Crimson Tide.
His coaches agree. Take it from a former Florida point guard who would know.
“Boog is playing with elite pace, really pushing the ball, and is a menace on defense,” said UF assistant Taurean Green, he of those back-to-back NCAA titles in ’06 and ’07 and now charged with player development. “He’s getting downhill, finding our bigs and kick-outs to shooters. He’s feeling a lot more comfortable in our offense.”
Alabama doesn’t pressure like A&M, but the Crimson Tide play at an even faster pace than the Aggies. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Fland was just fine under those circumstances, turning the ball over just once while using his athleticism, length and incredibly quick hands to create all sorts of havoc on the ball and in passing lanes on the way to those record-tying eight steals.
But that game was at home. The Aggies, who are 12-1 overall on their floor and unbeaten in four league games, rank second in the SEC in scoring at 92.0 per game in great part because they’re third in the league in turnover margin (plus-3.47), with opponents’ miscues turning into fastbreak opportunities and open 3s in transition, where they lead the league at 37.6%. Those turnovers often come in waves.
“They do a really good job of snowballing off negative plays for the opponent; backcourt turnovers, bad shots, things you don’t want to do out there,” Golden said. “As a point guard in this game, you have extra responsibility to make sure your team is organized and make sure you take care of the ball and try to control tempo the way you want to.”
Fland understands.
“It’s going to be a game of runs, we know that,” he said. “Honestly, we just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We do that, we’ll be fine.”
Email senior writer Chris Harry at [email protected]. Find his story archives here.
