No hurry to fill two scholarships

By JOANNE KORTH

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 10, 2000

GAINESVILLE -- Basketball coach Billy Donovan will not scramble to fill the scholarships left vacant by underclassmen Mike Miller and Donnell Harvey for next season.

That's not his style.

"We don't need to panic," Donovan said.

A relentless recruiter, Donovan does not want to bring someone into his program on short notice. He prefers to get to know players through a lengthy recruiting process.

"I really want to develop a close relationship with a young man so I know exactly what we're going to get when he shows up on campus," Donovan said. "We've got to gather ourselves with the next class, and that will be a big challenge for our staff."

The Gators expect to have 10 scholarship players next season. Seven return from last season's 10-player rotation; redshirt freshman LaDarius Halton returns from knee surgery; and recruits Orien Greene and Bonell Colas will join the program.

Donovan had not begun recruiting players to replace Miller and Harvey because he did not expect them to leave this soon. Miller was a sophomore last season, Harvey a freshman. Their scholarships will not be filled until the 2001-02 season.

"In college basketball, you can do a great job recruiting year in and year out and be back at square one again where you've got to bring in new players," Donovan said. "You don't know when they're going to leave; therefore, it's very difficult to recruit behind a young man."

GREENE IN: Florida will offer a scholarship to Greene, the state's Mr. Basketball, even if he does not get a qualifying entrance-exam score, Donovan said. Greene, who led Gainesville High to a state title, would be the first partial qualifier accepted at UF.

"He's going to take the test on Thursday," Donovan said. "He's worked very hard; he's taken the SAT courses and done everything he can. If it doesn't work out, it won't be for lack of trying."

BROWN OUT?: Florida has an oral commitment from Kwame Brown, a junior at Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Ga. But Brown, a 7-foot, 240-pound center, is considered a candidate to go to the NBA out of high school.

His mother, Joyce Brown, is disabled, has eight children and has limited means because of a back problem. She told Florida Today she is more than willing to listen to the agents who want her son's business.

"Hey, I'm all ears, I'll listen," she said. "There isn't any harm in listening."

GOLF TEAM SECOND: The 13th-ranked men finished nine strokes behind Auburn on Tuesday at the inaugural Atlanta Intercollegiate.

Sophomore Camilo Benedetti placed fourth individually.

The Gators posted a final-round 3-over-par 291 on the par-72, 6,899-yard Eagles Landing Country Club to finish at 16-over 880. Auburn was 7-over 871.

"(Tuesday) we flat lined and were never close to Auburn," coach Buddy Alexander said. "We did not have a bad day. This was a tough course, and Auburn played beautifully."

Benedetti shot 1-under 71 to finish at 1-under 215.

The Gators return to action May 18-20 in the NCAA East Region at Moosic, Pa.

-- Contact Gators beat writer Joanne Korth at (800) 333-7505, ext. 7306, or by e-mail at Korth@sptimes.com.

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