Once again, the UF basketball team is listed in the AP Top 25 poll this week. Neat.
The ranking also technically makes the Gators the class of the Southeastern Conference, since no other team has a little number next to its name on television broadcasts these days.
Remember what happened at a similar point last season?
UF gets ranked. UF loses 8 of 11 and heads to the NIT.
Hm. I bet Billy Donovan is looking for a different result this season.
Then again, as much as he criticized his team's desire last season, I don't think the players didn't want to make last year's NCAA Tournament. Maybe a different mindset gets them a couple more wins, they sneak in and lose in the first round.
So, what's the recipe for a better result this season? After all, the Gators may be 3-0 in the SEC, but they haven't faced Tennessee or Kentucky.
The answer might be Kenny Kadji. The 6-foot-10, 245-pound big man saw his most significant playing time of the season against Arkansas on Saturday. He is coming off back-to-back games in which he scored in double figures.
Know how many other UF players have scored double-digits in each of the last two games?
Two. Alex Tyus and Nick Calathes.
Still, Donovan called out his rising contributor after a 10-point, four-rebound performance against the Razorbacks.
"Maybe more so than any player I've ever coached, he needs to get a whole lot better handling success," Donovan said. "Earlier in the year, when anything went well for him, whether it be a day of practice or a game, you can rest assured the next day coming was going to be a loss of focus and a loss of intensity, and a loss of work ethic in a lot of respects."
"You gotta go through some experiences being young, and his biggest challenge to me is being able to handle a level of success and contribution to our team and not allowing himself to think he's got it all figured it out."
And it didn't stop there. Donovan continued to rail on his talented newcomer as well as freshmen big men Allan Chaney and Eloy Vargas about how the trio doesn't fight enough through fatigue.
Whether it's tough love or if Donovan is really frustrated could be debated. It certainly wouldn't be a surprise if he is simply trying to keep his young player humble.
Regardless, Kadji might be starting to figure it all out. He recorded only one block against Arkansas but played crucial defense against Razorbacks star big man Michael Washington while Tyus was hampered by foul trouble.
Do you think that will be the last time Kadji is called on for crucial minutes? It's doubtful.
But he doesn't have it all figured it out yet. Freshmen rarely do. But his commitment to improving may go hand-in-hand with UF's win total.
"Some players see (a barrier), and they fight through it and overcome it," Donovan said. "Other guys, they never quite get over the hump."
I'm a firm believer in a similar notion that, when challenged, a person can choose one of two paths - push through or give up. Donovan believes Kadji will choose the former.
UF fans will have to hope he's right because it's very likely the Gators' postseason success rests on the young man's shoulders.
