I don't know if Felder will be 100% but from the sound of it he has made good progress over the last couple of days. GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Injuries and illness have taken a toll on Florida's front court players this season — the last two seasons, actually, but that's a different story — and the hits continued Friday when junior center Jason Jitoboh, playing the best basketball of his career, had surgery on his left eye that will keep sideline him for the remainder of the season. CJ Felder The 6-foot-11, 285-pound Jitoboh left Wednesday night's loss at 18th-ranked Tennessee with just over two minutes to go in the first half after taking a finger to his left eye. Jitoboh collapsed to the floor and remained there several minutes before being taken to the locker room and, eventually, the nearby hospital. The surgical procedure Friday lasted three hours. "Feel so bad for him," UF coach Mike White. "He was really coming into his own." Jitoboh had started the previous four games in relief of All-Southeastern Conference forward Colin Castleton, the team's leader in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. In Castleton's stead, Jitoboh averaged 9.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and shot 80 percent from the floor over 23.3 minutes per game. Minus both "bigs," UF had to play undersized in what eventually was a 78-71 loss to the Volunteers. The plan figures to be similar Saturday as the Gators (12-8) look to snap a two-game losing skid when they step out of conference play Saturday afternoon to face Oklahoma State (10-9) in their SEC/Big 12 Challenge showdown at Exactech ArUF will have the services of CJ Felder, the 6-7, 235-pound backup forward who was hit with a nasty virus during the team's two-game SEC road swing through Ole Miss and Tennessee. Felder did not play in the former and, after Jitoboh went down, tried to give it a go in the latter, but was on the floor for less than three minutes. He was too weak to do anymore. "The team needed me and I definitely tried to give it my best," Felder said Friday. "I just couldn't give my best." Felder was feeling good after lifting weights and practicing Friday, so he'll have more to give Saturday. The Gators will need every bit of it. Look for UF to start 6-7 forward Anthony Duruji at the "5" spot in a so-called "small ball" lineup, with 6-5 guard Phlandrous Fleming Jr. taking his turn at the "4." Felder will give his team some more size, rebounding and defense inside off the bench, while White also will call again on slender junior-college transfer Tounghach Gatkek for some minutes down low.ena. Same Issues, Unfamiliar Foe - Florida Gators
What's going on with Felder? All I hear is "illness," but why is it dragging out? We need him back and sure could stand some good news on Castleton. Unfortunately with the way this team has been snakebit by injuries, it's hard to be optimistic that Castleton will return at all this season.
From what I gather from reading the reports Felder was still suffering from the effects of the sickness he had.
I heard mono but it was from someone outside the program so not sure it's reliable. It would make sense because mono can keep you down for 4 weeks and effect your energy levels.
Yeah, Joakim got sidelined early his freshman year with mono, and he was out for quite a while. When he finally got back, he was way behind in drills and conditioning.
