NCAA clears Tishman to play

Israeli point guard Nimrod Tishman has been cleared to play for the Florida men's basketball team by the NCAA Clearinghouse, giving the Gators added depth in the backcourt.

The 6-foot-5, 182-pound Tishman, a freshman from Tel Aviv, Israel, averaged 18.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists at the Under-18 European Championships in France this past summer.

Tishman becomes the third player of Florida's 2009 class, joining guard Kenny Boynton and forward Erik Murphy. He's been allowed to practice with the Gators this fall and now is cleared to compete in games. Florida coach Billy Donovan announced Tishman's clearance Tuesday.

"(Tishman) has some adjustments to make on the defensive end of the floor because the game is played totally differently in Europe than it is here," Donovan said. "That's an area of concern we have in terms of him getting better defensively."

But Donovan has been pleased with Tishman's stamina and ability to pick up the offense.

"I think he has shown in the first 10 days he can play some point," Donovan said. "He's got a very high basketball IQ. He's a very good passer. He's going to be able to give us minutes in the backcourt."

Donovan said he's been pleased with the play of 5-foot-8 sophomore Erving Walker at point guard. Walker, who reported this fall in excellent shape, projects to start at the point in UF's exhibition opener Monday against St. Leo's.

"I don't have any concerns with him back there at all," Donovan said. "He has played very, very well. He's passed the ball very well. Since I've been here, next to Jason Williams he's probably the fastest guy from line to line in terms of pushing the ball. I think he's always a threat from deep range."

Walker led Florida in 3-point shooting percentage as a freshman last season (41.9 percent) and ranked third on the team in scoring at 10.1 points per game.

Last season, Walker played mostly off the ball with Nick Calathes starting at point guard. But Walker was a standout point guard recruit out of Christ The King High School in New York City. Walker said he views the change as moving back to his natural position.

"Coach D's been talking to me about being in shape," Walker said. "That's the biggest change. I'm in a lot better shape and I'm able to go a lot longer."

Donovan said Boynton also has shown the ability to play some minutes at point guard. Sophomore Ray Shipman will likely fill in at shooting guard and small forward.

Walker averaged 24.1 minutes off the bench and as a spot starter last season.

"Erving's stamina, as he's gotten older, has gotten better," Donovan said. "He's in much better shape. But I don't have any concerns with him playing the point and being the guy back there playing a lot of minutes.

"Knock on wood he can stay healthy, but I feel very good with the ball in his hands."

FREE THROWS: Donovan said "some good and some bad" came out of UF's first intra-squad scrimmage Friday. "We ended up going about six six-minute periods, and each team had only one sub so I think guys have a tendency to try to pace themselves a little bit," Donovan said. "I wish the intensity would have been a little bit better. But it gave us some good things to work on. I think that's the thing that's been encouraging so far is the things we've been able to show them on film with where we've got to get better, they've come into practice the next day and really tried to focus on getting better at those things."

Contact Kevin Brockway at 352-374-5053 or at brockwk@gvillesun.com.