Stopping Eastern Illinois star Gators' first priority
By Jeremy Fowler
Alligator Writer
The score: veteran - 36, young'un - 26.
Freshman Matt Walsh's 26-point performance in UF's win against Louisiana Tech Tuesday doesn't add up to Eastern Illinois senior Henry Domercant's 26.4 points- per-game average last season or his 36 points against Boise State in its season opener Tuesday.
The No. 8 Gators (1-0) will try to negate Domercant tonight when they face Eastern Illinois in the second round of the Preseason National Invitation Tournament at the O'Connell Center.
But that effort might be futile, UF coach Billy Donovan said.
"There's really not one way you can guard him," Donovan said. "To me, what's important is the number of shot attempts for him. If he gets shot attempts, he's going to put up huge numbers."
The best guy for shot-attempt prevention is the usual guy for Donovan.
Senior Justin Hamilton, who frequently guards the opponents' best player, will be busy with Domercant, and Hamilton said he'll have more knowledge about Domercant by game time.
"I look at it as a challenge and a tremendous challenge for our team," Hamilton said. "Hopefully, I can do the best I can."
Hamilton won't be alone, Donovan said, as it will be a collective effort to stop Domercant.
He even may put center Adrian Moss on him for extra size.
More of the NIT means more exposure and pressure for Walsh and freshman Anthony Roberson - both started their first career games Tuesday - but Donovan said he will prepare his players for the adjustment.
"That's kind of what I said to our team after the [first] game," Donovan said. " I said, 'How do you guys respond to this game, especially our freshmen, coming back from playing on National T.V.'"
It was obvious Bonner, along with David Lee, was Louisiana Tech's focus, especially with senior Brett Nelson's foot injury and freshman Christian
Drejer still in the hospital with an ankle sprain and a new infection.
Donovan said the team doctor found a swelling "the size of an orange" in a magnetic resonance imaging test Tuesday night.
He is still in the hospital and should be back within the four-to-six-week range, but the infection is now more serious than the ankle.
Now, Bonner must become especially unfazed by the sudden attention.
"There is no way a player as good or as talented as [Bonner] is can play only 26 minutes and only get three shots at the basket," Donovan said.
"Matt's one of those guys that would get lost in a game and maybe not try to take over a game and do more than he can do."
