Is Florida the new leader for Angel Garcia?
Four schools are battling for the services of 6’10” East Chicago forward Angel Garcia and speculation is that the two-time defending national champion Florida Gators may be emerging as the leader.
Florida had been considered a dark horse for Garcia up until recently, with Indiana leading the pack and Memphis and Louisville close behind.
However, with the commitment by Tony Woods to Wake Forest, Garcia may now be the top priority for Billy Donovan and staff.
According to a report on Gator Country, the self proclaimed insider authority of Gator sports, Garcia may be ready to make a pledge to Florida upon his return from the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championships.
With Woods off the board, Florida’s big man recruiting centers around 6-10 Angel Garcia of East Chicago (IN) Central, who is playing with the Puerto Rican national team in Serbia this week. Speculation is that Garcia will commit to the Gators when he returns from Europe.
Personally, I’d be quite shocked and disappointed if this report turns out to be true. Garcia was the second best player I saw on the floor in this year’s state championship game against North Central, when he helped lead the Cardinals to the title.
He’s a versatile big man who can play inside and out. He can put it on the floor, hit the three, block a shot and rebound. The only question with Garcia is whether he’ll be able to qualify academically for the fall of 2008.
For now, I’ll hold out hope that Garcia could still end up a Hoosier and wait to hear what he has to say upon his return from Serbia.
Filed to: Angel Garcia, Billy Donovan, Florida Gators