Florida State will wrap up the regular season on Saturday against Boston College at the Donald L. Tucker Center.
The contest will have enormous NCAA Tournament implications, but for a few Seminoles, it will mean more than just that. Saturday is also Senior Day as three Seminoles play what they hope will be a final game in Tallahassee.
Those three are walk-on Brandon Allen, guard Braian Angola and forward Phil Cofer. Before they take the court for the final time, here’s a look back at their FSU careers:
Brandon Allen, G/F
A 26-year former professional baseball player and the son of former FSU standout Randy Allen, Brandon Allen has gone from walk-on to contributor during his career. Allen has appeared in 72 games for the Seminoles throughout the duration of his career, tallying 1.2 points per game while shooting a respectable 45 percent for his career.
Allen’s best season came as a redshirt junior as he averaged three points during the 2016-17 campaign. With the ability to shoot the long ball and as a maximum effort defender, Allen wasn’t a liability despite being a walk-on. Allen scored in double-figures just twice during his career, but they came in back-to-back outings in December 2016 in wins over Southern Mississippi and Nicholls, in which he scored a career-high 11 points.
Braian Angola, G
A native of Colombia and a Junior College All-American at North Idaho College, Angola’s FSU career will span just two years. Playing behind the likes of Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Dwayne Bacon, Angola averaged less than 12 minutes per game as a junior during the 2016-17 season, scoring 4.6 points and dishing out 1.2 assists per contest.
Angola’s second and final season in Tallahassee has been anything, but quiet. With just one game remaining in the regular season, Angola ranks in the top 3 for FSU in scoring, assists and steals. Angola leads the team in made 3-pointers and free throw percentage.
Angola has scored in double-figures 19 times this season, which included in nine straight games to open up ACC play. Angola scored a career-high 24 points in a double-overtime victory over Syracuse on Jan. 13.
Phil Cofer, F
A native of Georgia, Phil Cofer looked like a promising young player as a freshman during the 2014-15 season. With the ability to score inside or out, Cofer averaged nearly seven points per game on 46 percent shooting to go with 4.5 rebounds per game. The highlight of his freshman campaign was a flush over Duke’s Jahlil Okafor in a 73-70 loss at the Tucker Center.
Cofer played in just 11 games as a sophomore before going down with an injury. As a junior, Cofer had the look of the weak link on a team that reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years and came one win shy of tying of a school-record. Cofer scored in double-figures just once as a junior and that was 13 points in a win over Iona in the second game of the season.
As a senior this season, Cofer has been arguably the team’s MVP and one of the most improved players in the ACC and the country. Cofer has scored in double-figures 19 times on nearly 50 percent shooting for the season. He’s eclipsed the 20-point mark six times, including a career-high 28 at one of college basketball’s grandest venues, Cameron Indoor Stadium. Cofer currently ranks second on the team in scoring, rebounding and 3-pointers made.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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