Ad Disclosure
Todd Golden reacts to Walter Clayton’s latest heroics in Final Four
Todd Golden was in awe. Again.
The Florida head coach who hadn’t even won an NCAA Tournament game before this memorable run to the Final Four had just watched his All-American point guard, Walter Clayton Jr., pull off more magic. This time, Clayton rallied Golden’s Gators from an 8-point halftime deficit to lead Florida to a 79-73 victory over SEC rival Auburn.
Golden is going to the national title game at just age 39, and Clayton was the driving force in getting him there. After Florida nailed down its latest comeback victory, Golden spoke with reporter Andy Katz about his 6-foot-3 senior’s 34-point performance.
“I’m so proud of him and happy for him. He’s the best guard in the nation. There’s not one player in America that you’d rather have the ball in his hands with the game on the line,” said Golden.
Golden speaks from a wealth of wonderful experience during this run. He watched Clayton lead the Gators back in the second round against UConn, and then he witnessed the same heroics from Clayton a week later in UF’s regional final victory over Texas Tech.
For Golden, it never gets old watching Clayton do what he’s done, and for Clayton, it hasn’t become old in leading his team to second-half comebacks in the NCAA Tournament. Now comes one more hurdle for both player and coach on Monday night in San Antonio.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.