Florida Men’s Basketball Previews: Forwards and Centers
The Florida men’s basketball team is gearing up for the 2023 season with tipoff less than a week away.
Second-year head coach Todd Golden has slowly been building his team through a strong recruiting class and the transfer portal, hoping to create an organic chemistry between relatively young players.
Here at Gators Wire, we took a deep dive into the front and backcourt positions, highlighting what each player brings to the table this season.
There are only five members of the Florida Gators backcourt, made up of two transfers, two freshmen and a sophomore.
Golden said he knew it would take a lot of work to replace last year’s leading scorer Colin Castleton, who’s now playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, but the coach thinks they did a good job doing that.
Let’s take a look at what Golden is bringing to the table for the Gators’ 2023 backcourt and who will make the most impact.
Micah Handlogten (Center) - Sophomore
The Gators roster only lists one player at the center position and it’s sophomore transfer Micah Handlogten from Marshall.
The 7-foot-1-inch center is the tallest member of the backcourt and will be heavily relied on to retrieve rebounds on both ends of the floor. Golden also loves the transfer’s presence at the rim.
Handlogten was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year last season and will look to keep the pace in Gainesville. Golden also stated that Handlogten is a terrific shot blocker, something Colin Castleton did sparingly while at the position.
The Marshall transfer started every game for his team and finished 2022 at No. 11 in the nation in blocked shots per game and No. 16 in rebounding.
Tyrese Samuel (Forward) - Graduate Student
The second transfer in the backcourt is graduate student Tyrese Samuel, who Golden thinks will make an immediate for the team.
“We are happy to welcome Tyrese Samuel into our program here at Florida,” Golden said. “His addition will solidify our front line for next season. He is a proven producer at the highest level in college, and we believe he has the ability to continue to improve.”
He’s a great athlete who has scored and rebounded very efficiently in the Big East,” Golden continued. “We enjoyed spending time with him and his sister on his visit, and confirmed that he would be a great fit for our program from a culture perspective.”
Setting up a positive culture should be a priority for any team and Golden has followed through with his intentions.
Samuel is from Montreal, Quebec, Canada and is a three-time Big East All-Academic Team honoree. The transfer started every game last season while averaging 11 points, 5.9 rebounds, and shooting .550 from the field.
You can also throw in eight career double-doubles to his impressive accolades during his collegiate career.
Aleks Szymczyk (Forward) - Sophomore
Sophmore Aleks Szymczyk returns to the Gators after 14 appearances last season. He hopes to be a key factor for the team this year after focusing on his development.
The Frankfurt, Germany native spent a lot of time on on the bench in 2022 but played more significant role when Castleton’s season was ended by a broken right hand.
Szymczyk averaged 3.4 points and 2.3 rebounds through the final stretch of the season in Castleton’s absence.
Thomas Haugh (Forward) - Freshman
The first freshman on the list is a former Pennsylvania state champion in 2023.
Forward Thomas Haugh joins the team in a backup role to the much more experienced Tyrese Samuel. The New Oxford, Pennsylvania, native has been reported to have a strong defensive upside with growing capabilities on the offensive side.
Haugh was a three-star recruit during the recruiting season but has all four years to learn and grow under Todd Golden. The freshman will be a vital pillar to the future of Florida Gators basketball.
Alex Condon (Freshman) - Center/Forward
Freshman Alex Condon joins the Gators after traveling from Perth, Australia.
Condon is a multi-sport athlete but decided he was destined for a career in basketball. The three-star recruit also trained with the Australian men’s national team and was ranked as the No. 32 center in the recruiting 2023 class.
The freshman has been reported to be included in starting practice lineups, but it’s not confirmed if Golden will turn to Condon to be in the starting five. It will be surprising to see Condon on the floor for the opening tip with plenty of experience coming in from the transfer portal.
The Florida Gators will tip off the season on Nov. 6 against the Loyola Greyhounds in the O’Dome. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
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