Walter Clayton Jr. consoles Houston’s Emanuel Sharp after hard-fought national championship game
Walter Clayton Jr. went on an NCAA Tournament run for the ages, and it ended with him celebrating as a national champion after the Florida Gators defeated Houston 65-63 in a classic national championship.
Clayton had been on fire, and while it wasn’t his best shooting game on Monday night, he still came on late to help the team win. He finished with 11 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds, and was named the Most Oustanding player.
After the game, he won a lot of respect with the fans, as he was seen comforting Houston guard Emanuel Sharp after the game. It was Sharp who turned the ball over in the final seconds, and he was on the ground when Clayton put an arm around him.
Clayton already had become a sensation for his play in March, as he set a Florida record of 134 points. The previous record was 97 by Joakim Noah in 2007. His run through the NCAA Tournament will be remembered for a long time, as he had some incredible performances in the Elite Eight and Final Four, and will be a legend at Florida forever. He scored 30 and 34 in those games, helping the Gators overcome deficits in both of those games.
