Notebook: Nembhard is leading by example
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Mike White is on the hunt for an alpha dog. A player that can step alongside senior Kevarrius Hayes to help lead his side this season.
Although White still does not see that alpha dog personality in his locker room, but a leader can step up through their experience or simply their overall performance on the court.
Andrew Nembhard fits the bill despite only being a freshman.
"I think all of our freshmen have a chance. I think Andrew is probably leading the most right now," said White. "The ball is in his hands a lot. Our guys have a lot of respect for his basketball IQ and his accountability. He’s a guy that doesn’t make a ton of mistakes. He rarely, rarely makes an effort mistake and h9s teammates appreciate that.”
"I think I'm trying to become more vocal," said Nembhard. "Even though I'm a freshman I'm trying to lead as much as I can and just try to talk to all the older guys, just try to get everybody going."
Currently ten players are averaging at least 12 minutes per game, however, Nembhard is averaging 32 minutes per game.
"Guys being able to play hard and play with some toughness and discipline for long stretches," White said. "Some guys can do it for 30 seconds. Some guys have an ability to do it for most (of the game)."
The true freshman has recorded ten assists, five steals and averages 3.5 rebounds and 9.5 points per game.
"Andrew played 30 minutes the other night, and when I look back on the film he should have played 30," White said. "He probably has an argument to play a couple more. We have a bunch of guys who want to play 30, well here’s how you play 30."
"I think I'm becoming more comfortable," said Nembhard about embracing his role as a leader. "I'm seeing that that's what I kind of need to do for us to win and for the teams I've been playing on."
White blamed the season opener loss to selfishness - players were focused on playing time rather than the team goal. The Gators moved the ball much better against Charleston Southern a few days later. Nembhard led the charge with a complete performance.
"He didn’t make many effort mistakes and accountability mistakes from the defense and rebounding standpoint, didn’t turn the ball over," White said. "You want guys to make winning plays and play with consistency, play the right way."
"I just try to come in and work hard every day," Nembhard said. "As many minutes as I get is what I really get, and I'm just glad that's happened."
"You want your best players and the guys playing the most minutes to step up and lead the most," added White. "The best teams have great leaders. We’re trying to nurture that and empower that as much as possible."
MEDICAL REPORT
Florida forward Gorjok Gak is still day to day.
"Just learning to trust [his knee]," explained White when asked about Gak's status. "He doesn’t have any pain. He doesn’t have any swelling right now, that I know of. But he’s limping around a little bit. He’s working hard in the training room, but when he gets up and down the court in terms of running and cutting, he’s just not 100 percent"
WHATS NEXT
Florida hoops will welcome La Salle on Wednesday night. According to White he hopes to see his side step up offensively.
"It starts with me, and the staff, just finding ways to get these guys going and putting them in better position," said White. "We’ve got two high-level senior scorers. We’ve got to give them space, we’ve got to give them time and we’ve got to give them opportunities. Some of our other guys have shown glimpses. Ballard has been pretty good. We’ve got to get Keith Stone going too. We have to continue to learn how to share the ball better and how to play the game together. I thought we took a big step the other night. That ball really moved, as well as it’s moved since I’ve been here. I was really happy with four or five high-level possessions.”
White expects the visitors to provide a good test prior to the Gators' tournament in the Bahamas.
"It's another opportunity against a really solid Atlantic 10 program that Ashley Howard takes over having won a couple of national championships at Villanova, and he'll have La Salle rolling," said White. "They're rebuilding right now. They've got good players. They've got high-majors transfers. They've got really capable guards. They shoot it from four different positions form behind the arc in their starting lineup."
"We have a lot of things to work on defensively and offensively," added Nembhard. "I think we just need to come together and if we put all of our ideas together and we work as a group and do what coach tells us, I think we'll be on the straight path to success."
GATOR CHOMPS
Isaiah Stokes Foul Trouble
”The same fouls he's being called for every day in practice by our staff. The same fouls he's disagreeing with in practice were the same fouls he was disagreeing with the officials the other night. He's funny. He likes contact -- a little bit too much. But he'll learn from that."
"I think it's probably more just an understanding of how the game's going to be officiated and being a little more seasoned with his decisions based on him being as big as he is. A lot of guys carrying what he's carrying -- I'm just guessing 275ish -- sometimes a little nudge from him as opposed to a 235-pound guy, you're going to react a little bit more. And officials call what they see. he's got to be really smart with showing his hands a lot, 'I didn't shove anybody.' And he didn't do that. He was shoving people; they were fouls."
On the freshmen
"Our freshman class is very good. You know? 80% of the teams we play this year are going to have really good freshmen classes as well. Our league is full of really good freshmen and sophomores and juniors. I really like our freshman class. They have to get better and we’re going to help them with that.”
On working out the rotations
“Absolutely. And we go back to the rotations and depth and substitutions and starting lineups conversation … I could talk about it for hours and I don’t have the answers. And when I seem like I’ve got a pretty good grasp on it, it could change the next day because they’re so many factors involved. Especially early in the year, my philosophy at least is I want this team to become as accountable as possible with defense, with rebounding, with the unselfishness stuff offensively. If a guy goes 1-for-7, but he’s hitting on all cylinders in all these other categories I don’t care if his shots didn’t go in if I believe in him. But he has to be cutting hard offensively, he’s got to be making the extra, he’s got to be able to set a real screen, executing what we’re trying to ask. It’s a little bit easier, a little more black and white in my opinion in terms of defense and rebounding responsibilities. So we’re going to utilize our depth for overall team accountability to develop those areas this early in the season. And then time will tell - one more, two months - will tell how many we really ought to be playing. Then knock on wood, with injuries who knows. We’re evaluating at the same time, sometimes sending messages. I’m not going to dodge that, a guy’s jogging around on transition defense with no purpose and gives up a basket, I’m going to try to yank him as soon as I can because you’re not going to win with that happening.”