Jaterra Bonds has been a key player for the Gators since she arrived on campus.
The sophomore guard has logged 1,654 minutes during her two-year career at Florida.
Only redshirt senior guard Jordan Jones, who has 1,819 minutes, has accrued more time on the court since the beginning of last season.
Bonds has taken advantage of extensive playing time early in her career, putting together a solid resume with career averages of 9.4 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game.
She earned a spot on the All-Southeastern Conference Freshman team last season, playing in a UF-freshman-record 34 games.
Perhaps her best stretch came when she averaged 15.4 points per contest in the Gators’ final five games of the 2010-11 season.
While she has not yet duplicated that scoring tear this season, Bonds has still put up respectable scoring numbers, notching her 10th double-digit scoring effort of the year with 12 points in last Thursday’s 70-55 win against Auburn.
However, Bonds’ three points and three turnovers in Sunday’s 62-58 loss to No. 25 South Carolina serve as a reminder of her youth.
“Jaterra is a very basketball-savvy player, she usually knows the right play to make,” assistant coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick said. “Sometimes, she gets a little overzealous, and sometimes, that can affect her decision-making.”
Bonds’ issues boil down mostly to shot selection and her ability to take care of the ball.
She has recorded a 34.1 field-goal percentage, including a team-low 28.3 clip in SEC play, and her 66 turnovers rank second-most among Gators with 19 or more starts this season.
However, the frequency of Bonds’ giveaways has improved from last season from one turnover every 8.5 minutes to one turnover every 11.1 minutes.
“She does a great job of absorbing the game plan and learning from week-to-week,” head coach Amanda Butler said.
“She is really striving to make better decisions because she knows how important that is for us.”
Bonds’ experience has aided not only her performance on the court but her leadership role on the team.
Through Butler’s multiple lineup shifts, Bonds is the only player who has started every game for the Gators this season.
“If I’m not talking, I don’t feel comfortable,” Bonds said. “I have to talk, like instructing, if I see something wrong, to help my teammate out.”
Bonds fits in with Butler’s up-tempo style, making her a vital piece in Florida’s transition game and full-court press.
As Bonds continues to gain experience early in her career, she hopes to make waves with the Gators on the national stage as she made clear during Florida’s media day before the season began.
“My goal is when they talk about college basketball, I want them to mention my name.”
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
Florida sophomore guard Jaterra Bonds has played 1,654 minutes since joining the team last season and is the only Gator to start every game this year.
