Florida middle Olivier Rioux made historical past on Wednesday throughout his group’s 102-61 win over Saint Francis. Rioux, who stands at 7-foot-9, turned the tallest participant in faculty basketball historical past — at any degree — to attain a basket. His lone factors of the sport got here with 42 seconds remaining, when he threw down a two-handed flush.
Rioux, 19, had beforehand appeared in two video games this season for the reigning nationwide champions. Rioux logged two minutes towards North Florida final month and scored the primary factors of his faculty profession towards Merrimack two weeks later. The middle from Canada logged three minutes in that sport and went 1 of two from the free-throw line.
Right here is Rioux’s basket towards Saint Francis that made historical past.
In 2021, Guinness World Information declared Rioux the tallest teenager on the earth at 7-foot-5. When he checked in towards North Florida final month, he turned the tallest faculty basketball participant ever to seem in a sport.
“It felt nice,” Rioux, who redshirted his first season with the Gators, mentioned after his first profession sport. “The assist from all people was wonderful, even on the bench and even the followers. I believe all people supported me. I am very grateful.”
Rioux didn’t seem in a sport in the course of the 2024-25 marketing campaign for the Gators. Florida has one of many deepest frontcourts within the nation, led by Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Micah Handlogten and Rueben Chinyelu. Though Rioux is not a part of the rotation but, Wednesday was a constructive signal for his total improvement.