Israeli PG Nimrod Tishman cleared to play for UF

For months, the Florida Gators and head coach Billy Donovan have been waiting for the NCAA Clearinghouse to decide on whether or not Israeli point guard Nimrod Tishman would be eligible to play for the two-time National Champions this season. On Tuesday, that decision was handed down, and Tishman officially became the newest member of the Orange & Blue.

Already cleared to participate in practice, Tishman (6’6″) was impressing Donovan with his work ethic, court vision and ball-handling. During the Florida and SEC media days, Donovan expressed his hope that Tishman would be cleared by the NCAA sooner than later.

Tishman averaged 18.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists at the Under-18 European Championships in France this past summer and was signed to the Gators after Donovan failed to land some of the top point guard prospects in the country during the past recruiting cycle.

On the basketball front, Mark Schlabach of ESPN took an in-depth look at the future of the Gators in his column on Tuesday. Coming off a four-year swing that included back-to-back National Championships followed by back-to-back NIT appearances, Donovan is optimistic that the additions of Tishman, five-star guard Kenny Boynton and others will pay off for his team in 2009-10. “I feel like there’s a difference in our team this year as far as intensity,” Donovan said. “I’m excited about that. There seems to be a better chemistry and a maturity level from growing up. I thought our team the last two years was immature.”