Florida basketball: Micah Handlogten could return this week

Florida basketball had an impressive showing last week in Brooklyn but was without center Micah Handlogten for part of it after he went down with an ankle injury.

Tyrese Samuel played incredibly well in his absence, but Florida felt his absence in their game against Baylor.

The good news for the Gators is that Micah could make his return as early as tomorrow when the Gators take on Wake Forest.

Todd Golden told reporters that Handlogten will attempt to practice today, and is questionable for the Gators’ game against the Demon Deacons tomorrow.

Florida basketball: Just make the right decision

Would the Gators benefit greatly from having Micah back in the rotation tomorrow? Absolutely. Wake is a solid team, and this win would be big on Florida’s resume.

But Golden knows that the team he has this season has the chance to be a legitimate threat in the SEC and in the postseason.

If Micah isn’t fully ready to go, it isn’t worth the risk of sending him out there, especially with Tyrese Samuel playing as well as he is.

Ankles can be tricky, especially in basketball. It doesn’t take a whole lot to reinjure or tweak a weak ankle which can make it a much bigger issue than it originally was.

With the way that the Gators’ schedule plays out over their next four games (Wake, Merrimack, Richmond, ECU), this is a very good time for Micah to rest up and get healthy.

The Gators will need their big seven-footer when SEC play rolls around starting in January, so rushing him back now is a bad idea.

Obviously, it would be great to see him be full go tomorrow and dominate the paint for the Gators. But at this point in the year, it’s more important for him to be healthy then active.