The Southeastern Conference women’s basketball coaches decided one Gator was worthy of representing Florida on this year’s All-SEC team.
But unfortunately for those paying real attention to UF, it is obvious they chose the wrong one on March 5.
Entering the season, Jennifer George was expected to carry an inexperienced Florida squad. George was named a preseason First Team All-SEC honoree, the first UF player to garner that type of recognition since Marshae Dotson prior to the 2008-2009 season.
But injuries derailed the season of Florida’s lone senior.
She never came close to matching the effectiveness she brought to the floor during her junior campaign when she essentially came out of nowhere to help lead the Gators to the NCAA Tournament.
In her place, junior guard Jaterra Bonds answered the call.
Best known as a streaky shooter and somewhat mercurial figure on the court during her first two seasons, Bonds took a leap forward this year while George took a step back.
Through 32 games, the Gainesville native leads the Gators in scoring with 12.7 points per contest to go along with 3.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds.
Coach Amanda Butler refers to the SEC as the toughest conference in women’s collegiate basketball.
Bonds responded to the added challenge of facing elite talent by improving her numbers.
She averaged 14.8 points in 18 conference matchups, though two games came during the SEC Tournament, which was held after the All-SEC teams were announced.
Unfortunately for Bonds, averaging 17.5 points in a victory against Arkansas and a loss to Tennessee did not count in the voting.
But more impressive than raw statistics is the way Bonds passes the "Eye Test." Having been to nearly every Florida home game the past two seasons, it is easy to see her development on the floor during that time.
She is no longer the shoot-first, think-second point guard she was during her first two seasons.
While some games still tend to be an emotional adventure, her teammates are better when she is on the floor — which is nearly always.
Bonds finished fifth in the conference in minutes per game, averaging 33.7. Nobody else on UF even averages 30 minutes per contest.
Staying on the court proved especially tough for George this season, a shame for a player nearing the end of her college career.
She missed the opening game of the season — an easy win against Fairfield — for an undisclosed reason. But an even bigger blow came against LSU on Jan. 6.
George suffered a dislocation of her right shoulder in the Gators’ 77-72 win against the Tigers in the O’Connell Center.
Despite missing only one game because of the injury, she was never truly the same.
George gutted it out four days later against Mississippi State, but she was largely ineffective.
The Bulldogs held George scoreless in 17 minutes.
She then suffered a second dislocation in an 78-75 loss to Tennessee on Jan. 13 and missed Florida’s 52-44 loss to South Carolina on Jan. 20.
Since then, George has been up and down.
She is certainly having a productive season. George is averaging 11.5 points and a team-best eight rebounds per contest.
There is no question she is a versatile player for the team. She also tops the Gators in blocks, steals and double-doubles.
But if the SEC is only going to honor one Gator among the league’s best players, it should be Bonds.
Bonds is Florida’s leader and its most important player.
For that, she should not have to settle for a spot on the SEC Community Service Team.
Contact Phil Heilman at pheilman@alligator.org.
Guard Jaterra Bonds drives to the basket during Florida’s 69-58 win against Arkansas on Feb. 28 in the O'Connell Center.
