Friday’s games
Stetson at Miami, 5:30 p.m.
South Alabama at Florida State, 7 p.m.
Georgetown at Florida, 9 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Kenny Boynton leaned against the basket support on the deck of the U.S.S. Bataan and marveled at what was in front of him.
Five helicopters hovered in the distance and a few small naval ships cruised through the water below. He was dumbfounded that a hardwood basketball court and about 3,500 dark green seats were transported onto this multipurpose amphibious assault ship, where the playing surface sits about 60 feet above the water.
“I saw the ship as we were riding up on the bus and I was like, ‘Wow,’ ” he said. “I didn’t expect it to be this big and nice. We’re way up here. It’s a nice view. It’s crazy. I can’t wait.”
Boynton and No. 10 Florida will open the season here against Georgetown in the Navy-Marine Corps Classic on Friday (9 p.m., NBC Sports Network). The Bataan is docked at Naval Station Mayport, just east of Jacksonville.
Last year’s meeting between Michigan State and North Carolina near Coronado, Calif., was the first on a naval ship, and it sparked a trend. Six men’s teams and two women’s programs will play on the water this season.
The Florida players attended a luncheon on the ship Thursday and took a quick tour. They took countless photos and videos on the court and returned in the evening for a 45-minute shootaround after holding a closed practice at nearby Providence School.
As astonished as the Gators were to see the Bataan’s court, imagine how it struck Capt. Doug Cochrane, the base’s commanding officer. The ship arrived Tuesday from Norfolk, Va., and the court area was ready Wednesday afternoon.
“It was an amazing logistical effort,” Cochrane said. “They pulled in with all these trucks and it was, ‘Lift 12 Alpha comes off that truck and goes here.’ It was very regimented and planned out.”
He was in “absolute amazement” when he first walked onto the court Wednesday.
“In my 26 years in the Navy and all my time on aircraft carriers and flight decks, I never imagined this — never,” he said.
UF has wanted to play in one of these games for more than a year. Michigan State contacted the Gators last year before opting to schedule North Carolina. It looked like it was not going to happen this season, either, and the Gators solidified their 2012-13 schedule in March without it, said Mike Hill, their executive associate athletics director for external affairs. At that point, Hill considered the possibility “dead.”
Florida got a surprising call in late April, though. Alan Verlander, the new director of the Jacksonville Sports Commission, was trying to secure a ship and two quality teams for a game. Even with a tough nonconference schedule in place, the Gators and coach Billy Donovan jumped on the opportunity.
“Let’s go,” Donovan said. “Let’s get the best possible opponent.”
Thrilled to hear it, Hill added, “We could not have a ship docked in Jacksonville for a college basketball game and the University of Florida not be in that game. It’s historic.”
By agreeing to play, Donovan and Georgetown coach John Thompson III are taking on an unusual set of challenges. There is a 5-inch drop from the edge of the hardwood to the ship deck, which could make plays near the sideline dangerous. It will be windy, there is concern about condensation on the court, the shooting backdrop is infinite and The Weather Channel predicts 58 degrees for tip-off.
Neither coach plans to change his approach, but both said they anticipate outside shooting will be difficult. Michigan State and North Carolina combined to shoot 37.4 percent from the floor and hit 6 of 32 three-pointers last year.
All of the worries are worth it, though, for an experience few basketball players will ever enjoy and the chance to entertain servicemen.
Some tickets went to boosters and fans who purchased sponsorship packages that started at $1,000, and roughly 1,000 military personnel will attend.
“It’s a privilege for us to meet them,” Boynton said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so I’m definitely looking forward to it. It’s something none of us will ever forget.”
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