ATHENS, Ga. – Alex Condon suited up last Saturday at LSU and joined Florida’s pregame warm-up routine. The sophomore forward wasn’t expected to take the court against the Tigers, but treated the occasion as an additional workout — another move forward in his effort to return to action for the Gators.
That appearance came three days ago, and since then he has continued to make progress with more steps toward full readiness.
"I'm feeling pretty good," the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Australian and team rebound leader said Monday. "Just taking my time with my recovery, making sure I'm not rushing back."
It has now been two weeks since Alex Condon collapsed just 30 seconds into Florida’s Feb. 11 matchup at Mississippi State. The incident echoed the scare involving senior point guard and top scorer Walter Clayton Jr. at Tennessee only 10 days earlier. In both situations, the Gators avoided major injuries. The same was true for fifth-year guard Alijah Martin, who suffered a hip pointer on Feb. 4 against Vanderbilt.
Clayton sat out one game, Martin missed two, and Condon — aside from his brief appearance in Starkville — was sidelined for four. Despite those absences, Florida’s roster kept rolling.
Alex Condon Saturday at LSU
Currently ranked No. 3, the Gators (24-3, 11-3) have strung together six consecutive wins, a streak that overlapped with the three starters missing a combined seven contests. They now aim to continue their push toward full strength when they face SEC rival Georgia (16-11, 4-11) Tuesday night at Stegeman Coliseum.
[Read senior writer Chris Harry's "Pregame Stuff" setup here]
Condon practiced at full speed Monday and was listed as “questionable” in the team’s first availability report that evening.
"I think he'll play, unless something happens at practice," UF coach Todd Golden said earlier Monday, noting the team’s cautious approach. "He was very close on Saturday. I think he wanted to play. He was chomping at the bit a little bit. But just as we've been able to do with Walt and Alijah, we just don't want to bring him back too early. Obviously, every game for us in the SEC feels like the Super Bowl, but we also want to make sure we're ready for March."
During Monday’s session, “Condo” worked alongside front-line rotation players and even shared reps with 7-foot-1 Micah Handlogten — a frontcourt pairing not seen in nearly a year. For the Gators, it was a “big” and welcome sight.
UF junior center Micah Handlogten (3) had six rebounds, three on the offensive end, in his third game back Saturday at LSU.
The memory of Micah Handlogten’s severe compound fracture during the SEC tournament championship last March 17 came rushing back to Alex Condon when he leapt for an inbound pass and landed awkwardly on the foot of Mississippi State forward RJ Melendez in the opening possession on Feb. 11. Condon immediately went down, clutching his leg in visible pain.
"Pretty scary," Condon admitted. "It kind of reminded me of that, with the crowd getting so quiet."
He was carried off the Humphrey Coliseum floor, but medical staff quickly determined there was no structural damage. X-rays later confirmed the encouraging diagnosis.
Alex Condon became part of Florida’s growing injury list — one that soon included reserve forward Sam Alexis, also hurt at Mississippi State — and the group demanded extra care in the UF training room.
Head coach Todd Golden jokingly described the scene last week as a “MAS*H unit.” In that analogy, head trainer Jon Michelini and graduate intern Tyler Hrubes were cast as “Hawkeye” and “Trapper John.” Alongside student assistant Preston Dill, the trio has earned consistent praise from both coaches and players for their dedication in recent weeks.
"Big shout-out to the training stuff, man!" Alijah Martin said.
Golden also highlighted the contributions of strength and conditioning coordinator Victor Lopez. He credited the entire health staff for their coordination and commitment to keeping the roster ready.
"We've done a great job internally of being on the same page, communicating really well, with those guys with executing what's going on downstairs to get these [players] right," Golden explained. "We're talking everyday where they are. No curve balls. No one caught off guard. We have a good understanding of what's going on and have been able to navigate these injuries pretty well, so far."
Despite missing at least one starter in six consecutive games — and two in one of them — Florida has rattled off six straight wins, five of those by double digits.
Yeah, that’s impressive.
CHARTING THE GATORS
A look at how select Florida players have stepped up during the current six-game winning streak when at least one starter has been missing in each.
| Opponent | Outcome | Injured starter | Replacement | The buzz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt | W 86-75 | Walter Clayton Jr. (ankle) | Denzel Aberdeen | Aberdeen goes for 13 pt, 3 ast, 0 TO in career-high 35 minutes; Urban Klavzar 2-for-2 from arc in first meaningful SEC minutes. |
| at No. 1 Auburn | W 90-81 | Alijah Martin (hip pointer) | Aberdeen | Clayton with 3 3s and 19 points; Aberdeen 10 pts, 2 3s; Haugh steps up with 16 pt, 9 reb, 3 ast, plus-19 box score. |
| at No. 22 Mississippi State | W 81-68 | Martin & Alex Condon (ankle) | Aberdeen & Thomas Haugh | Condon exits just 30 seconds in; Haugh flirts with triple-double (16 pt, 9 reb, 8 ast); Aberdeen equals career-high with 20 pt, 3-for-6 from arc; Clayton 19 pt, 6 ast. |
| South Carolina | W 88-67 | Condon | Haugh | Martin returns, but comes off bench for 11 pt; Aberdeen pours in career-high 22, with 5 3s; Haugh with career-high 20 pt, 6 reb, 3 ast; Micah Handlogten makes season debut with 2 pt, 3 reb, 5 ast in 20 min. |
| Oklahoma | W 85-63 | Condon | Haugh | Clayton leads with 18 pt; Martin 14 pt off bench; Klavzar career-high 10 pt. |
| at LSU | W 79-65 | Condon | Haugh | Rueben Chinyelu career-high 19 pt, 13 reb; Haugh 16 pt, 10 reb. |
Much of the credit belongs to the players who have adapted and thrived in expanded responsibilities. Denzel Aberdeen, Thomas Haugh and Urban Klavzar have all risen to the challenge, delivering crucial minutes and making winning plays under pressure.
Equally important was Micah Handlogten’s unselfish choice to bypass a medical redshirt and rejoin the active roster late in the season. Meanwhile, starting center Rueben Chinyelu has been on a tear, posting four consecutive double-digit scoring outings. His standout performance — 19 points and 13 rebounds in the weekend win at LSU — gave Florida the frontcourt lift it needed.
Injured forwards Alex Condon (center) and Sam Alexis (right) on the bench during last weekend's home win over Oklahoma.
Condon has enjoyed it from his place on the bench, but hopes (and wants) to soon be contributing again to this special season.
"Everybody has stepped up," Condon said. "Micah made a big decision to come back. Tommy's leadership, specifically, has been great. Rueben, as well. It's all been crucial for us."
Just like Condon's eventual return (against the Bulldogs Tuesday, perhaps?) will be.
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu
