San Francisco – the number of times Steph Curry’s question has been launched Walter Clayton Jr. The last days were too many to count. Made sense, however. Many speaking television heads during the 2024-25 university basketball season labeled the playmaker in Florida and the manufacturer of elite shooting the university equivalent of Curry, with the performance of Clayton in the after-season adding to the story. Playing the second weekend of the NCAA tournament at the Chase Center, which shelters Curry and NBA Golden State Warriors, brought things to another level.
Clayton was flattered, but not too interested in talking.
“It is undoubtedly the biggest playmaker in the history of basketball, so I have a way to go,” said Clayton on Saturday evening. “I would not compare myself yet, but just grateful for recognition.”
These words, however, came about an hour after Clayton did Steph things in Steph’s building and put on the Gators to one of the biggest victories in the history of basketball of the program and one of the biggest victories to come in the history of the NCAA tournament.
Clayton scored 13 of his 30 points at the top of the match in the last five minutes and more, while the seeded gators have erased a deficit of nine points with less than three minutes to play with a rainst storm in the West region of the region which won a SAN within four years.
It was necessary to train Todd Golden – Only 39 years old and without the NCAA victory over its curriculum vitae until last weekend- only three years to take the nit bait program at the largest showcase in university basketball.
“It’s incredible, absolutely incredible,” said Golden after winning a 10th right and 16th in the previous 17. “It is a direct result of the work that our players have done all year round and the work that my staff has done. They all, for a man, incredibly coherent, disinterested and elaborated. We do not do this without the collective work of our program.”
Or, frankly, without Clayton, who finished seven of the 14 on the ground, struck his three 3 points in the second period, went 13 for 14 on the line of free throws and collected four assists during his 35 minutes.
The only first all American team in the history of the UF bombed in two 3 in the last two minutes – the first to equalize the match, the second for the head 30 seconds later – while the Gators fourth (33-4) ended the match on a tear of 18-4 during the 3:32 finals. The two free throws of Clayton with 10.6 seconds to find out of the result.
“I can’t even start describing how an incredible player he is”, a “UF in the second year Alex Condon Said about the incomparable and creative marker of the team. “We give him the ball in the most grumpy situations and tell him to go cook – and he delivers.”
He had help. Backord treatment before Thomas HAUGH was spectacular on the bench, ending with a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds, and threw a pair of 3 end points during the return which were just as crucial as the major brands of Clayton.
“What just happened, it’s wild. I don’t even know what to say?” An emotional haugh said later. “I just know that Walter Clayton is a cold and cold man!”
HAUGH, with 12 points and six Boards in the First Half, was about the Only Thing the Gators Had Going for the Majority of the Game, As the Ninth-Raid Red Raiders (28-9) Stifled One Of The Nation’s Best Offenses and was crushing uf with Bruising Post-Us (23 points, 5 rebounds) and All-American JT Toppin (20 points, 11 rebounds), While Racking Up Defining offensive rebounds (14) and second chance points (23).
With only eight minutes to play, UF had only four goals on the field in the second half (out of 16 attempts) and had missed its four attempts at 3 points. Tech led 67-57.
“They started carrying us and put us a little in the basket,” said Golden, who chose to stay with his defensive plan to leave his big ones in an individual blanket in the post against the brutal back-down of Williams and Toppin, rather than double and risk the kicks to open 3-point shooters. “I thought that abandoning the 3 at that time would be dagger for us. They were (doing) 2s, they were not 3.”
Soon they did neither.
When Toppin posted HAGH for a lay-up with 3:11 to play, the Red Raiders led 75-66.
At that time, the ESPN counter “Win probability” had 95.6%Tech Tech.
Put another way: 4.4% chance for Gators.
“The reality was, yes, we were broken nine years, but you must always keep the course,” said UF Fifth Year Guard Alijah MartinWho collected 10 points, seven rebounds and went to a second final Four with a second team after managing Cinderella Run from Florida Atlantic in 2023. “You have no choice.
Florida’s first possession after the toppin bucket ended with a 3 on the left side of Haugh, Golden immediately calling for a time of 75-69 with 2:47 to do. A game with two possessions.
“The message was that we have to make each game of victories in the section,” said Golden, summoning a call similar to weapons, the heroic at the end of last week by gathering four to beat the double reigning champion of the NCAA Connecticut in the second round in Raleigh, in North Carolina. “I did not feel like we were hopeless. I had the impression that our guys still felt that we had a gunshot, but I understood that we did not have much time. We had to pick it up and make sure that we had each blockage and make sure that we have all 50 to 50 balls and, obviously, go up and take big strokes.”
They also had another thing in mind. They were going to Nauffer Toppin, a free throw -up shooter of 70.1% but 60% on the sides of the season, to try to extend the match. However, UF missed a chance in Toppin, and hurt Williams, an 84% guy on the line instead.
Williams rebounded at the front of a one and one, UF rebounded and Haugh bombed in the second consecutive 3, this on the right side, to make a 3-point match, 75-72, with 2:24 to play.
This time, the Gators have dirty toppin, with technology always in and one. Toppin missed a second consecutive front (it was 0 for 5 on the line), the Gators obtaining the rebound. In the Florida Halfcourt, Clayton entered the painting, saw a wall, then swiveled and withdrew on the line of 3 points, only to turn around immediately and get up for a green light 3 against two technological defenders, who immediately rolled towards the bench of Red Raiders in the amazement, as if to say, “How?”
What did Clayton think he launched it?
“Nothing,” he said. “My mind was empty.”
As Haugh said, a cold man.
Florida’s first advance since the 13-minute brand was 78-77 with a minute to do and the Gators in the arena became Berserk.
“It’s a hard coverage, so difficult,” said technological coach Grant McCasland, who lost this match as if he had won his “Sweet 16” Round two nights earlier when the Red Raiders erased a 16-point lead in the second half (down 12 with less than six to go) to oust the Arkansas. “He can hurt you in many ways and is so cunning in his change of rhythm.”
At the end of Tech, Williams missed a 3 -point attempt, with Martin for the rebound and getting worsened with 22.2 seconds. He made the two free throws for an advantage of 3 points.
With 16 seconds to go, once again, it was Williams with a 3 for equality. No good. UF center Rueben ChinaiLu Rebounded and shovel the ball in Clayton, which was dirty and dropped a pair of free throws to increase 82-77 with 10.6 to play.
The Card of Technology, Chance McMillian, led through a prudent UF defense for a lay-up at 4.5 seconds, taking up the margin for three, but the Senior Guard Will Richard Closed the victory and the final Final ticket with two other free throws – UF went 25 out of 27 on the line (92.%) to seven out of 13 tech (53.8%) – with 3.4 seconds to play.
The UF has struck its last four field attempts on the field of the game (every 3) and six consecutive free throws in the last 22 seconds.
The championship hats and t -shirts, confetti, the pose of the trophy and the net of the net – oh, and tears, many, many tears – followed on the ground of the center of the pursuit.
On the podium, Clayton was announced the most useful player in the West region.
“There is not another player in America that you prefer at the moment that Walter Clayton with the ball in his hands in a big moment,” said Golden. “He does a great job to control his emotions. Most players at that time, their heart rate would increase, but he has a special talent to remain equal.”
A special talent for shooting too.
Doing it in Steph’s house – in a disastrous and dead situation in the water – was simply too perfect.
“I think it just shows the conviviality of the team, the love we have for each other to spend these difficult times,” said Clayton. “But we stay the course. It is the mentality of Gator.”
And it’s going next to Texas.
Send an email to a main writer Chris Harry at Chrish@gators.ufl.edu
