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Florida center Olivier Rioux created history during Wednesday’s 102 – 61 victory over Saint Francis. Rioux’s 7-foot-9 height made him the tallest college basketball player to ever score a basket. Rioux’s only point came at 42 seconds left, when he scored a two-handed dunk. The 19-year old had played in two previous games for the reigning champions this season. Rioux scored his first point in college against Merrimack just two weeks after logging two minutes of playing time against North Florida. The Canadian center played three minutes and was 1 of 2 at the free throw line. Here is Rioux’s historic basket against Saint Francis.
Guinness World Records has declared Rioux to be the tallest teen in the world by 2021. He stands at 7’5″. Last month, when he appeared in a college basketball game against North Florida, he was the tallest player to ever appear.”It felt great,” Rioux, who redshirted his first season with the Gators, said after his first career game. “The support of everyone was amazing, including the bench and the fans. I believe that everyone supported me. I am very grateful.
Rioux didn’t play in any games for the Gators during the campaign 2024-25. Florida’s frontcourt is one of the strongest in the country, featuring Thomas Haugh (left), Alex Condon (right), Micah Handlogten (center) and Rueben Chinyelu. Rioux may not be in the rotation just yet, but his performance on Wednesday was positive for his overall growth.
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2025-12-18 02:17:52
