Jason Jitoboh confident as he steps in for Colin Castleton vs. Hogs

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators (14-12/6-6 SEC) is counting on Jason Jitoboh to play more minutes on Saturday against Arkansas and moving forward.

UF will be without two-time All-SEC big man Colin Castleton, who suffered a broken hand vs. the Rebels after four consecutive 20-point games in conference play.

Stepping in for Castleton in the second half, Jitoboh matched his season-high with 17 minutes played and logged 4 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Here is everything Jason Jitoboh said Friday about his return to the starting lineup, his experience stepping in for Castleton last year and his confidence level now.

On how it felt to play 15 minutes in a row vs. Ole Miss:

Jason Jitoboh: “It was good because we were able to extend the lead and was able to go out there and win a game. I felt fine, physically. It just felt right to me.” 

 On his confidence to step in for Castleton after doing so last year:

Jitoboh: “It definitely gives me more confidence knowing I was able to hold my own when I was out there, and he wasn’t out there. But obviously Colin is big shoes to fill. I’m not trying to fill them. I’m just trying to do the best I can.” 

 On he brings to the position that may be different from Castleton:

Jitoboh: “Obviously I’m a big body so just taking up more space. Playing around the other players, setting screens, rebounding, other stuff, finishing around the rim, stuff like that.” 

On how much he has improved offensively around the rim:

Jitoboh: “My offensive game definitely has gotten better. I haven’t had a chance to prove because (inaudible) other dudes and how we’re trying to play as a team so I think my game has gotten better, just showing it.” 

On his lefty scoop shot against the Rebels:

Jitoboh: “I was talking to Will saying that was my first left hand bucket in like two years.” 

On how he feels going into this opportunity:

Jitoboh: “There’s a lot of pressure but just trying not to put any pressure on myself. Just knowing I’ve kind of done it before, just going in and being confident, playing my game.” 

On how much he feels for Colin Castleton:

Jitoboh: “I feel for Colin a lot because he went through that last year, almost at the same time. So just knowing what he’s going through, I feel for him. And also going through it myself, knowing how lonely it gets when you are hurt and everybody closer is playing the game you love, it’s just hard.” 

On Aleks Szymczyk possibly getting minutes:?

 “He’s gotten a lot better from the start of the season to know. He’s a big body that can be really, really physical for us and be a physical piece that we need. So he’s gotten a lot better since the first day.” 

On reflecting on his starting experience last year to help prepare for now:

Jitoboh: “I think about it and helps me a lot, like I said, knowing that I’ve been there before not taking me being on the court for granted knowing that it could be taken away from me that week. So just going out there and playing confident, playing hard like I deserve to be out there.”

On what needs to happen for the team to succeed without Castleton:

Jitoboh: “Just next man up doing everything we can to execute, knowing there’s not that much room for error. We’re missing a big piece like Colin, and nobody coming out trying to fill those shoes, just trying to be the best we can be.” 

On what he and his teammates must be attentive towards without Colin:

Jitoboh: “I’d say our physicality got to be better because we don’t have the rim protection that he was. Obviously, we ran a lot of our offense through Colin, so we got to figure a way to win without him.” 

On how much more important is it for him to defend without fouling:

Jitoboh: “It’s going to be very important. That’s the biggest piece for me right now, defending without fouling and just playing through fatigue and playing through all that to win the game. It would mean discipline and picking my spots on the court.” 

On if he feels the offense will run through him and give him chances:

Jitoboh: “Yeah, I feel like I’ll get some of those chances that Colin got and also being a big body and being a skill big like he was. So, I feel like they could be able to run a lot of that stuff for me.”

On what he learned from Castleton from a passing standpoint:

Jitoboh: “I learned a lot from him because he gets double-teamed every game, so I try to pick his brain. I talk to him when he comes on the bench or what he sees when I go in the game. He tells me what I could do, I tell him what he could do. I pick his brain a lot.”

On if he thinks teams will double-team less and allow him to be more of a scoring threat:

Jitoboh: “I don’t know because a lot of college teams already double-team the bigs regardless of who it is. I’ve been getting my fair share of doubles when I get in the game. So, I really don’t know how that will play out. But if I wasn’t to get doubled, that just plays to my advantage.”

On where his frustration level is with the number of fouls called on you:

Jitoboh: “It’s very frustrating, very, very, frustrating because obviously, being a bigger body, I’m going to get penalized, and other people wouldn’t, and it’s the SEC. You know, a lot of bigs are my size, not a lot of players are my size. It’s very frustrating knowing that the calls are going against me just because I’m bigger, but trying to play through it; try to play smart.

On what kind of emphasis there will be on transition defense against Arkansas:

Jitoboh: “A lot, a lot. Just getting back and stopping the ball. Most of the teams in the SEC play fast, so we just got to communicate, talk through it, run back, we be tired, get a blow, get back in the game. Do whatever you got to do to win.”