GAINESVILLE — Florida’s 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux made his long-awaited, hard-earned debut to grow to be the tallest participant in faculty basketball historical past.
With the No. 3 Gators 104-64 win in opposition to North Florida nicely in hand, many amongst a reported crowd of 10,065 started to chant, “Oli, Oli, Oli,” — the nicknamed given the world’s tallest teenager and fan favourite regardless of having not performed since he arrived in the summertime of 2024.
Coach Todd Golden answered the calls, with UF main 102-61 and a pair of:09 remaining Thursday evening on the O’Connell Heart.
“It felt nice,” the 19-year-old Canadian stated. “The help from everyone was superb. Even on the bench and even with the followers. All people supported me. I’m very grateful.”
Although he didn’t rating or seize a rebound, Rioux made historical past because the tallest participant to get on the courtroom, surpassing 7-foot-7 Kenny George, who performed at UNC Asheville in 2006-08.
“It’s one other day, I suppose,” stated Rioux, a campus-wide curiosity routinely is approached for photographs, autographs or dialog.
Rioux’s teammates had been ecstatic to see him get his likelihood, particularly his good pal Micah Handlogten, who has joked that even at 7-foot-1 he fells small subsequent to his towering teammate.
“A lot enjoyable,” Handlogten stated of the second. “When he was checking into the sport, I form of stopped him and I used to be like, ‘Play with confidence. You labored your butt off for 2 years now to get to this spot. Now’s your second. It’s your time to shine.’
“Seeing him on the market working up and down the courtroom with a bit smile on his face, it was actually good to see.”
Golden stated followers needed Rioux within the sport a lot earlier, cajoling UF’s coach at halftime together with his crew main 52-28.
“I stated it should occur, the time will come,” Golden stated. “I will be cussed, you understand, I don’t take heed to path very nicely at instances. So after they’re yelling at me to do it, it form of, ‘Alright, perhaps I’ll wait a bit longer.’ There’s a time, you understand, with Ollie for proper now, like, once I put him within the sport, I’m not going to take him again out.”
The 305-pound Rioux has labored tirelessly to enhance his conditioning, lateral motion and ball abilities. However endurance stays a problem.
“I wish to make it possible for he’s ready the place he can end the sport and never get fatigued, and I believe two, three minutes might be probably the most that he can go proper now with out getting fatigued,” Golden stated. “In order that was form of the choice and why we waited so lengthy to place him in.”
Because the lead grew past 30 factors, Rioux suspected he’d get into the sport. Nerves accompanied the conclusion and ensuing anticipation, he stated.
“I used to be, however it’s a part of the sport,” Rioux stated. “I believe I dealt with it nicely.”
Rioux didn’t report a statistic. Coaches hoped to get him a shot try, however the ball didn’t come his manner.
Different alternatives are positive to be forward. Florida flexed its muscle in opposition to North Florida, considered one of a number of inferior foe on the Gators’ non-conference schedule.
Golden is not going to hesitate to reward Rioux the following time UF has an enormous lead.
“He’s put in a whole lot of nice work and to his credit score, he’s stored an awesome angle with out getting a whole lot of reward when it comes to enjoying time and alternative,” Golden stated. “Clearly the sport was in our management and thought it will be alternative to get him on the market and get his first faculty expertise, and I believe he was fairly excited. It was fairly neat for him to lastly see the ground.”
Rioux plans to be prepared for his subsequent likelihood.
“It’s simply psychological and also you simply maintain going and maintain grinding,” he stated.
Edgar Thompson will be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com.
