Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford is in the middle of the third season of what will hopefully be a lengthy NBA career. Averaging career highs in minutes, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and points per game, he was recently selected as a reserve for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game for the first time in his professional career. OGGOA caught up with the two-time National Champion, two-time NCAA Finals Most Valuable Player and member of the 2008 NBA All-Rookie Team while he was on his way to prepare for a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Horford spoke with us about a variety of topics including his professional success, memories of Florida and advice for younger Gators who are trying to propel the team back into March Madness.

ADAM SILVERSTEIN: The biggest thing going for you right now has to be your selection to your first NBA All-Star Game. How did it feel to earn that honor in only your third season in the league?
AL HORFORD: “It’s a real honor to be nominated to that game. The coaches really have a lot of weight into that decision, and I felt really special that they picked me over a lot of other guys.”

AS: The NBA has been utilizing you to help grow its product abroad. Do you feel any extra pressure in this regard?
AH: “Not really. I think if anything, it’s good. It’s something that, even when I played at Florida, I wanted to put myself in the position to be able to come and play in the NBA. It just feels a good to be a part of the league and a good team.”

Read the rest of our exclusive interview with Al Horford after the jump!
Continue Reading » Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford: “I tried to act tough.”

Tags: Al Horford, All-Rookie, All-Star, Anthony Grant, Atlanta Hawks, Billy Donovan, Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, MOP, MVP, NBA, NCAA Tournament, Taurean Green

It took senior forward Dan Werner strongly batting away an in bounds toss with 3.5 seconds remaining on the clock to propel the Florida Gators (16-6, 5-3 SEC) to a 66-65 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide (13-9, 3-5 SEC) on the road at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Though Werner made a heads-up play in the final seconds, he preceded it with a major mistake that could have cost his team the game. The Gators were only up four with 1:09 remaining in the game when he inexplicably fouled Crimson Tide guard Anthony Brock to allow Alabama to continue its 9-2 run and cut Florida’s lead to one. A runner by G Mikhail Torrance gave the Tide a 65-64 lead with only 44 seconds left, but a clutch floater by Gators sophomore point guard Erving Walker with nine tickets left on the clock ended up being the game-winning basket.

Read the rest of OGGOA’s Florida at Alabama game story after the jump!
Continue Reading » Walker floats Gators to 66-65 win over Tide

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Alex Tyus, Anthony Brock, Anthony Grant, Billy Donovan, Coleman Coliseum, Dan Werner, Erving Walker, JaMychal Green, Kenny Boynton, Mikhail Torrance, Tony Mitchell

Location: Coleman Coliseum – Tuscaloosa, AL [Capacity: 15,316]
Time: 7:00 p.m. (EST)

TV: ESPNU
Online: ESPN360

Odds: Florida +2.5, O/U 128.5

KEEP AN EYE ON…
-The dynamic backcourt of…sophomore point guard Erving Walker and freshman guard Kenny Boynton who are averaging 33.7 points and 8.4 assists per game in SEC play this season.
- Speaking of Walker and Boynton…they have hit 40 of the Gators’ 49 treys in SEC play, and Walker is shooting 55.8 percent (24-of-43) from downtown in conference action.
- Junior forward Alex Tyus…who is dominating the front court, averaging 15.2 points and 7.4 rebounds over the last 12 contests. He has hit double figures in 12 straight games and scored 15+ in seven of those 12.
- Double-digit scoring by Vernon Macklin…Florida is 10-1 when the redshirt junior transfer center does so.
- Alabama sophomore forward JaMychal Green leads the team with 7.2 boards per game while also contributing 14.6 points. Senior guard Mikhail Torrance is tops on the team with 15.1 points per game.

STREAKS:
- Alabama leads the all-time series against Florida 73-56; however, the Gators have prevailed in 14 of the last 17 meetings.
- The Gators are 15-5 against the Crimson Tide under head coach Billy Donovan and won the last time they visited Coleman Coliseum on Jan. 8, 2008.
- Donovan’s long-time assistant, Anthony Grant, is Alabama’s new head coach; the two will be going head-to-head for the first time.
- The Gators ended a four-game winning streak on Sunday with a loss to No. 14 Tennessee. It was their longest in SEC play since 2007.
- Allowing 95 and 89 points to its first to SEC opponents, the Gators have held teams to 62.4 points per game over the last five. Florida is 10-1 this season when holding opponents to 60 points or less and 120-2 all-time under Donovan.
- The Gators have hit at least one three-pointer In 599 consecutive games.
- The Crimson Tide have upset wins over then-No. 15 Michigan and then-No. 23 Mississippi State this season.
- As a team, Alabama is averaging 68.4 points per game while holding opponents to just 31.7 percent shooting from three-point range.

Read OGGOA’s Florida Gators at Alabama Crimson Tide preview after the jump!
Continue Reading » Gameday: Florida Gators at Alabama Crimson Tide

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Alex Tyus, Anthony Grant, Billy Donovan, Chandler Parsons, Coleman Coliseum, Erving Walker, JaMychal Green, Kenny Boynton, Mikhail Torrance, SEC, Vernon Macklin

1 » When former Florida Gators assistant Anthony Grant left the program a few years ago to take over the Virginia Commonwealth Rams, head coach Billy Donovan wished him luck. When Donovan left the team after the 2007 National Championship game, Grant’s name was the first called by Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley to replace the long-time head coach. However, a change of heart by Donovan thurst Grant back to VCU, where he would eventually be tabbed as head coach by the Alabama Crimson Tide. Mentor and assistant will square-off for the first time Thursday in Tuscaloosa, AL. “You never like to play against one of your friends, but Anthony and I have a great relationship,” Donovan said.

2 » Speaking of Donovan, his frontcourt players from those championship seasons (and even the year after) have been experiencing a lot of success in the NBA recently. Philadelphia 76ers center Marreese Speights spoke with the Philadelphia Daily News about how genuinely happy he is that former teammate and now Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah is finding success in the pros. “He and a lot of the other guys were really good at watching out for me when I first got to Florida,” Speights said. “That meant a lot. It’s good to see him doing so well in the league, but it’s not surprising. He always has had a great work ethic, trying to improve his game in every way. He improved a lot in college, from not playing a lot as a freshman to becoming someone who could have been taken with the first overall pick.”

There are four more BITS waiting for you after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Grant, Speights, Tebow, Easley, honors

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Allie Will, Anthony Grant, Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls, Dominique Easley, field, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jeremy Foley, Jeremy Postin, Joakim Noah, Marreese Speights, NBA, NFL, Philadelphia 76ers, SEC, Shara Proctor, Tim Tebow, track, Uche Nwaneri, Virginia Commonwealth Rams

The 2000s were quite a decade for University of Florida athletics. Florida Gators football and basketball were especially exceptional, combining for four National Championships (five appearances) and five Southeastern Conference Championships (six appearances) while earning five BCS bowl game and eight NCAA Tournament berths, respectively, over the last ten years. To end this decade of champions, OGGOA has compiled our own Gators All-Decade Team for each sport.

Continue Reading » OGGOA Presents: Florida Gators All-Decade Team

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Ahmad Black, Al Horford, Alex Brown, All-Decade, Andre Caldwell, Anthony Grant, Anthony Roberson, BCS, Ben Troupe, Billy Donovan, Billy Latsko, Brandon James, Brandon Siler, Brandon Spikes, Channing Crowder, Charlie Strong, Chas Henry, Chris Leak, Ciatrick Fason, Corey Brewer, Cornelius Ingram, Dan Mullen, David Lee, Derek Harvey, Drew Miller, Earnest Graham, Eric Rutledge, Eric Wilbur, Ian Scott, Jabar Gaffney, James Smith, Jarvis Moss, Jeff Chandler, Joakim Noah, Joe Haden, Keiwan Ratliff, Lito Sheppard, Major Wright, Marcus Thomas, Matt Bonner, Maurkice Pouncey, Max Starks, Mike Degory, Mike Pearson, Mike Pouncey, National Championship, NCAA Tournament, Percy Harvin, Phil Trautwein, Ray McDonald, Reggie Nelson, Rex Grossman, SEC Championship, Shannon Snell, Taylor Jacobs, Tim Tebow, Todd Johnson, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

1 » Florida Gators sophomore cornerback Janoris Jenkins knows he played terrible Saturday against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Yes, he let wide receiver Greg Childs amass 135 yards on him including a 75-yard touchdown. But that was also the worst game he’s had his entire Florida career, and he is confident that he will be able to rebound. “[Janoris] told me that was one of the worst games he ever had in his life,” running mate Joe Haden said. “I told him, ‘Don’t worry about it.’” Jenkins had 39 tackles and three interceptions his freshman season and has already followed that up with 37 tackles and two more receptions so far in 2009. “[Janoris] knows it’s a whole new week, and you can expect a real good game out of him,” Haden said.

2 » Fifth-year senior safety Dorian Munroe, after sitting out the entire 2008 season with a torn ACL, was expected to return to the Gators two weeks ago when the team visited Baton Rouge, LA, to take on the LSU Tigers. Unfortunately, Munroe injured his meniscus during the preseason and has been forced to miss additional time. Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald inquired about Munroe’s status and was told by Haden that he was “walking around” at practice on Tuesday. Goodman believes Munroe may be able to resume playing against the Georgia Bulldogs in two weeks.

Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Jenkins takes blame; Munroe still out; Patterson speaks on UF; Grant on Donovan

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Anthony Grant, Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Donovan, Dorian Munroe, Georgia Bulldogs, Greg Childs, Janoris Jenkins, Joe Haden, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, Marreese Speights, NBA, NBA Draft, Orlando Magic, Patrick Patterson, Philadelphia 76ers, Virginia Commonwealth