Gators go in-home with top target on Tuesday

Florida basketball coach Mike White and assistant coach Darris Nichols were in Ashburn, Virginia Tuesday to see Virginia Academy 6-foot-9 center Ejike Obinna.

Obinna rose up the Gators board this Spring, visited unofficially in early June and returned earlier this month for his official visit.

According to Obinna's guardian, Ray Matthews, White and Nichols arrived about 4 p.m. and went straight to Obinna's school to check it out and meet teachers and administrators. Virginia Academy did not practice Tuesday so White and Nichols arrived at the Matthews house about5:30pm. The conversation included "family, team, school, things like that. Very relaxed. Informative," said Matthews. "(They) left about 7:30 p.m."

With Xavier Tillman taking the Gators off of his list, Lance Thomas and Victor Uyaelunmo just starting visits and Isaiah Stokes yet to take his first official visit; Obinna becomes an increasingly important prospect for White.

The three-star big man has been hosting coaches on in-home visits since last Friday. Vanderbilt head coach Bryce Drew and three assistants go in-home with Obinna and the Mathews tomorrow. He is scheduled to take an official visit -- his final one -- to Vanderbilt on September 23.

He's likely to decide on a school soon after completing his official visits, which would be beneficial for Florida; the Gators need to fill their center spot and have invested a lot of time and effort in Obinna.