‘A dream come true’: Huntersville’s Micah Handlogten brought a crowd for Florida’s overtime win
Still in his full uniform, Micah Handlogten was in the middle of the crowd at Spectrum Center, posing for photos and greeting friends and family.
Handlogten, Florida’s 7-foot-1 center who transferred from Marshall, grew up in Huntersville, near Lake Norman. Several hundred of his peers filled the sections behind the Gators’ bench during their 106-101 double-overtime win over Michigan in Tuesday night’s Jumpman Invitational matchup, providing a noticeable applause every time Handlogten’s name was mentioned.
“It’s every basketball player’s dream to play on an NBA court,” Handlogten told The Charlotte Observer. “That kind of environment against a really good team. It’s a dream come true.”
He joined these fans, many of whom were wearing one of his jerseys, after the final buzzer. And didn’t leave until the Gators’ bus was ready to head out. That came well after the subsequent women’s game between Oklahoma and North Carolina had begun, and midway through the first quarter of it, Handlogten was running down the steps in his full blue No. 3 uniform.
Handlogten finished with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, along with nine rebounds, when he fouled out during the first overtime period.
“Watching your kids do stuff like that and succeed is way better than anything you could have ever done yourself,” his father, Ben, told The Observer. “He works hard, he puts the effort in, and he’s enjoying some success.”
Ben Handlogten grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was a four-year Western Michigan center from 1992-96. He played professionally overseas and had stints with the Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets.
He played for Western Michigan with Saddi Washington, who was also involved in Tuesday’s game — he’s currently an assistant coach on Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard’s staff.
“I grew up in Michigan. I’m a Michigan man. I bleed maize and blue. This is the first time in my life I’ve ever rooted against the maize and blue,” Ben Handlogten said. “But I think it’s for a good reason.”
Micah Handlogten, who turned 20 on Sunday, achieved all-state honors as a junior and senior at Southlake Christian Academy, where he also played lacrosse. He averaged 17 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks a game during his senior season in which coach Rodney Monroe’s program reached the NCISAA 3A semifinals.
The big man averaged 7.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last season for the Thundering Herd. Handlogten, whose 2.3 blocked shots per game ranked 11th nationally, was named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year.
The Gators added Handlogten — the program’s first 7-footer since Dwayne Schintzius in 1989 — amid the departure of First Team All-SEC center Colin Castleton.
“(Handlogten) impacts the game in a lot of ways,” Florida head coach Todd Golden said postgame. “He’s a really good rim protector, great rebounder. Really easy to play with. ... The collection of frontcourt players is a huge, huge upgrade for us this year compared to last, and he’s a huge part of that.”
Handlogten, making his eighth start in a Florida uniform, received the most cheers of any Gator during Tuesday’s pregame introductions. Late in the first half, he slammed home two dunks and knocked down a 3-pointer, leading a 9-2 run that saw Florida recapture the lead — and ignited the significant Gators’ contingent inside Spectrum Center after each made shot.
“It’s honestly surreal,” Handlogten said. “Growing up, coming to all these Bobcats, now Hornets games. It’s been crazy, and I’m really enjoying it.”
Jumpman Invitational continues Wednesday
Florida (7-3) vs. Michigan (9-2) women. 6:30 p.m. tip. Watch on ESPN2.
No. 11 North Carolina (7-3) vs. No. 7 Oklahoma (10-0) men. 9 p.m. tip. Watch on ESPN.
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the Charlotte Sports Foundation’s website.