Thomas Haugh is on the five-player Associated Press preseason All-America team. The Florida announcement says the senior forward received 56 of 58 votes. For the preseason No. 1 Gators, the more useful basketball question is how much help their leading scorer already has around the basket.
Haugh's scoring average rose from 3.9 as a freshman to 9.8 as a sophomore and 17.1 last season, according to Florida. That climb explains the individual recognition. His teammates Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu also received votes from the AP panel. Their presence gives Florida three returning frontcourt players who can affect possessions in different ways, without asking Haugh to carry every trip down the floor.
The first public test offered a mixed answer. Florida lost 82-76 in overtime to Baylor in an October 18 exhibition. The Gators' recap lists 19 points for Haugh and 13 each for Condon and Chinyelu. Together, they scored 45 of Florida's 76. Chinyelu collected 15 rebounds, and Condon had nine rebounds and four assists. The frontcourt was already doing more than waiting for Haugh to shoot.
That same game has a limit as a forecast. Haugh made four of 13 field-goal attempts and nine of 10 free throws, per the official box score. Florida received 45 points from those three frontcourt players and still lost. Todd Golden still has to decide how to get them the ball and how much scoring support the rest of the lineup can provide. CBR's look at Florida's ranked opener puts the November 2 Miami game on the calendar. The question about balance comes first.
Florida hosts Stetson on October 27 for its final exhibition, according to the school. Watch whether Haugh, Condon and Chinyelu continue to share the scoring work and whether Florida finds dependable production around them. Haugh's honor is earned from previous play. This season's offense still has to be built in actual games.
