Donovan ponders benching foul-plagued Haslem

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Posted 7:00AM on Tuesday, March 12, 2002

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - Florida coach Billy Donovan is determined to keep his star center, Udonis Haslem, out of foul trouble. How determined? He's considering pulling Haslem, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, from the starting lineup against Creighton on Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament. His replacement would likely be Bonell Colas, a reed-thin sophomore who averages 3.5 points and 10 minutes per game. Donovan said there was only a slim chance he would make such a drastic move, but he was considering it to give his foul-prone center time to get a feel for officials, who probably will be seeing Haslem play for the first time this season. ``I think Udonis is a highly intelligent kid, a guy who could do it,'' Donovan said. ``Or maybe we do start him, he picks up one foul, and we pull him, let him sit there and watch.'' With Haslem in foul trouble this season, the Gators (22-8) have been a shell of a team, unable to create the inside threat that spreads the floor and opens up the outside shooters. For example, in Florida's 62-52 loss to Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference tournament Saturday, Haslem picked up two early fouls and sat for 17 minutes of the first half. He finished with seven points and four rebounds in 18 minutes, part of a dispirited effort that caused Donovan to question his team's heart. The players also criticized themselves. They've lost four of their last seven. Forward Matt Bonner gave a one-word answer when asked to explain the problems: ``Softness.'' Guard Justin Hamilton expanded on the same theme. ``There's going to be adversity every year,'' Hamilton said. ``But you never think lack of hunger is going to be one of the problems.'' As punishment, Donovan made the Gators stay in Atlanta after their loss to Mississippi State to watch the SEC Tournament semifinals. The coach singled out Haslem, the team's only senior, as the most upset Florida player in the stands. ``He's probably sitting there watching, knowing this was his last chance,'' Donovan said. ``I'm not so sure the message hit home for all the other guys.'' At 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, Haslem knows he draws the attention of the officials. He finished with four or five fouls in 13 of 30 games this season. He played fewer than 25 minutes in 10 games. He said he won't gripe if Donovan chooses to bench him Friday, and put Colas or freshman David Lee in the starting lineup. ``But the bottom line is, if he puts me on the bench, I don't know how much of a realistic look I'm going to get on the officials,'' Haslem said. ``Because David Lee and Bonell Colas don't post as much, they're not as physical as I am, and they don't get the same calls.'' Since Haslem came to Florida in 1998, Donovan has waged a steady campaign with SEC officials to let the big man play. He felt it worked to an extent this season. But the coach was upset when Haslem got called for a pair of offensive fouls against Mississippi State in which Bulldogs center Mario Austin, who is listed at 6-9, 265, fell down after slight contact with Haslem. ``If they want to call that foul, that's fine,'' Donovan said. ``But to have a guy play three minutes in the first half, it wasn't good for the game, wasn't good for the team. He should get more respect than that.'' Still, as a No. 5 seed in a slump, Donovan isn't expecting preferential treatment when the NCAA tournament begins. ``I don't think he'll get any respect from anybody, and I don't think our team will get any respect from anybody,'' Donovan said. ``That's what we're going to have to do, is go out and fight for that."