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'Fear of failure' bedevils Gators

Young players' mistakes hobble Florida.

By JOANNE KORTH

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 24, 2001

GAINESVILLE -- The timeout was nearly over when Florida junior Teddy Dupay, more nimble every day since lower back surgery, made a desperate move. He grabbed freshman Orien Greene's jersey in one hand and sophomore Matt Bonner's in the other.

He shook them.

He implored them.

If only he could have aged them.

Florida failed to protect an eight-point lead in the final four minutes of Saturday's 63-61 loss to Vanderbilt because nervous, young players made costly mistakes. It wasn't the first time and probably won't be the last.

Having lost three starters to serious injury, the Gators are being forced to rely on young, inexperienced players and their ability to learn from inevitable mistakes.

Next chance: tonight at Auburn.

"To have success at this level at a young age, you have to go through some adversity. No one is immune," UF coach Billy Donovan said. "These guys have to get to a point where fear of failure isn't the driving force, but the joy of winning and succeeding is their focus."

Against Vanderbilt, sophomores Brett Nelson and LaDarius Halton missed both shots of a double-bonus in the final 1:10. A defensive breakdown by Halton allowed Vanderbilt bomber Brendan Plavich to hit the winning three-pointer with 26 seconds left. And, with a chance to send the game to overtime, Greene missed a layup at the buzzer.

Two weeks earlier, a 10-point lead at South Carolina dissolved in the final six minutes and the Gamecocks won on a three-point basket at the buzzer. Last week against Georgia, the Gators failed to convert three late scoring chances in a three-point loss.

"Look at all the guys who have been put in pressure situations during the last few games that have never been in that position before," said Bonner, who missed two late free throws against South Carolina. "In order to succeed you have to fail. Now, we know what those situations feel like."

This is nothing new for Florida. Each of the past three seasons, success hinged on the development of young players adjusting to pressure-packed roles. Painful mistakes were part of the process.

Remember forward Brent Wright shuffling his feet against Gonzaga in the final minute of the Sweet 16? Remember forward Mike Miller, hero of the last-second NCAA Tournament win against Butler, sailing a pass out of bounds two months earlier in a loss at DePaul? Remember Dupay missing two free throws in a double-overtime loss to Tennessee last season?

"Each year, the faces change, but the instances don't," Donovan said. "I'm not frustrated. I'm not down. I know what we're dealing with. My job right now is to bring out the best in each and every single one of these individuals. I'm being naive if I think some of these guys are just going to step out there and do it."

This was not, however, supposed to happen to Florida this season. Not with seven of 10 players back from the 2000 NCAA runner-up team. And certainly not just before the start of Southeastern Conference play.

But injuries to Wright (foot), Dupay (back) and sophomore guard Justin Hamilton (knee) in the first two weeks of January changed the Gators' outlook. Hamilton is out for the season. Wright could return within two weeks from surgery to repair a stress fracture, but Dupay likely will not return until late February, if at all.

Until then, the Gators will look for valuable contributions from Greene, who is alternately brilliant and clumsy; freshman forward Bonell Colas, whose 6-foot-9, 196-pound frame is no match for bruising SEC forwards; Halton, whose degenerative knee condition forced him to redshirt last season; and walk-on David Kliewer of Tarpon Springs, who played five minutes against Vandy.

"The young guys have got to understand that this is their chance," said junior center Udonis Haslem, who has become the focal point of opposing defenses. "If Orien gets a chance to make that layup later in the season, I think he will make that layup."

If not, he'll get no sympathy.

"Not to be cold about it, but no one cares," Donovan said. "These guys we have left have to pick themselves up and get better. "If they don't do that, I'll be the first one to say I recruited the wrong guys. But I know in my heart that I made not one recruiting mistake with the guys I've signed."

While critics point to three SEC losses by a combined six points as a disappointment, Donovan said he is encouraged. Despite setbacks, the Gators are not far from being 4-0 rather than 1-3.

"It's not like we're getting blown out by 15 or 20 and people are saying, "Florida has no shot,' " he said. "It's just a matter of making the right plays, playing confidently and believing in themselves."

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