After the Florida obtained the national title in a dramatic return at the end of the game, the phenomenon of 7 feet 9 inches, Olivier Rioux had his turn to cut the net and did not need a scale to obtain his little bit of fabric.
This is tradition after winning a tournament to climb a ladder and get a small piece of the net to bring home.
And just like during the southeast conference tournament, the Gators were the last team of the standing position, Rioux choosing not to use the ladder to get their piece of the net.
Rioux did not play in the national championship match, or not at all this season, because he was redeshed by the Florida head coach Todd Golden.
If Rioux had played for a second from the university basketball season, he would have lost a year of eligibility. Now it can be with Florida for the next four seasons.
“I should have specified (before),” said Golden in November. “Honestly, it put him in a difficult situation. He sits there at the end of the games and everyone shouts him and tries to get him out.
7 -foot phenomenon 9 inches, Olivier Rioux had his turn to reduce the net and did not need a scale
Rioux did not play in the national championship match because he was redesirt this season
“They just didn’t understand that it was our potential plan for him. So this is where we are right now.
“I’m not saying it will be 100%plan. We will continue to talk to him and see if he changes what he wants to do. But for the moment, this is the plan that we are going to have with him while we are moving forward.
Florida won the national championship with a 65-63 victory against Houston
Rioux came for the first time to notoriety in a sense of the world-back world because he had 6 feet 1 inch at the age of 8 and 6 feet 11 inches in sixth.
“I just explained to him:” Hey, the reason why I am not putting you right now is what we talked about a little. “It was not a choice that I made to him ” continued Golden.
“ This is something that people (de) our program spoke with him and his family and his parents, his coach of the AAU and just try to understand what is the best road for him ”
“I just went to him, and I said to myself:” Hey, I don’t try to be disrespectful with you. I don’t try to burn your year for 30 seconds. “”
Even with Rioux not being part of the active list, he is considered a national champion by being affiliated to the program during the title season by practicing with Walter Clayton Jr. and the rest of the Gators.
