July 2, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Forward P.J. Gaynor (Jacksonville, Fla.) totaled 10 points in 17 minutes against North Carolina A&T in his collegiate debut last November at the UCF Arena. Despite the strong performance, it did not take long for the freshman to realize how different the college game is from high school contests.
The lanky Gaynor was no longer the tallest player on the floor. At 200 pounds, he certainly was not the strongest in the paint either.
"The strength of everyone around you surprised me," Gaynor said looking back at his rookie campaign. "The toughness of the game as well was different."
As a result, Gaynor plans to improve his strength and conditioning over the summer. He hopes to gain between 10-15 pounds and be more of a presence down low for the Knights this upcoming year.
He appeared in 25 contests in 2008-09, averaging 2.0 points and 1.9 boards in 9.6 minutes per game. The game against North Carolina A&T was one of two double-figure scoring performances for Gaynor. His best all-around showing might have been in UCF's regular-season finale, when he totaled six points and three boards in the come-from-behind Conference USA win over East Carolina at home.
Gaynor also wants to improve his ball-handling skills during the offseason. "I am never satisfied," he said. "I had some ups and downs (as a freshman), but I enjoyed it."
Season-ticket deposits for the 2009-10 UCF men's basketball campaign are currently being accepted. For more information, visit UCFAthletics.com or call (407) UCF-1000.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Notes: Expect to see former UCF star Jermaine Taylor compete for Houston at the 2009 NBA Summer League, which starts in Las Vegas on July 10. Taylor was selected with the 32nd overall pick in last week's NBA Draft by Washington, and then traded to the Rockets. He is currently in Houston, participating in a mini-camp.