As Florida’s season has progressed, there have been plenty of headlines revolving around the emergence of Thomas Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu, as well as the struggles and rise of Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland. Even Urban Klavzar has started to catch the eye of many as Florida’s not-so-secret weapon off the bench.
But it’s been the player who received the bulk of the preseason headlines who has been in the shadows for the bulk of the season. Given how the last three games have gone for the Gators, he might be the one casting the shadows moving forward.
Alex Condon has stepped up his game
Florida has every reason it could have lost to Texas on the road. Haugh struggled and rolled his ankle while Chinyelu was riddled with foul trouble of his own. Yet for the third straight game, it was Alex Condon topping 20 points as the preseason All-American scored 23 points, four rebounds, three assists, and four blocks.
It’s a far cry from the one-point effort Condon had against Auburn, which is Florida’s last loss, and the four-point effort he had against Texas A&M. His reemergence these last three games in particular is a reminder of the depth Florida has heading into the NCAA Tournament. Most teams would have crumbled if two of their top big men struggled, but in Todd Golden’s case, he can just point to Condon and go, “Alright, time for you to take over.”
For Condon’s part, he’s trying not to read too much into his recent uptick in play. Aftwards, he stated:
"I've found a rhythm these last few games. My teammates are getting me the ball and trusting me to make the right plays. I didn't feel like I forced anything tonight and just let the game come to me."
Condon will be an interesting case study this offseason because he is still viewed as a frindge 1st round pick with most mock drafts pegging him in the 2nd round. But, if he can continue this uptick in play, draft status or not, it could go a long way in dictating Florida’s fate this March.