NCAA Tournament: Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. admits surprise about Houston blunder

Florida Gators Star and the best player in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Walter Clayton Jr. is still talking to his teammates about what happened Monday night in San Antonio.

Why couldn’t they do it after winning the fierce national championship at 65-63? NCAA Tournament A final victory over the Houston Cougars?

It was the best of the best in the final play of the game that shocked everyone Houston saw.

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Walter Clayton Jr. celebrates the NCAA title

Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. celebrates after winning the 2025 National Championship Game at the Alamodome. (Bob Dongnan/Image Image)

But Clayton and his teammates made it difficult Cougar Take a nice look at the hoop, including closing out Clayton’s closeout at Emmanuel Sharp with a three-point line.

Clayton is making a celebration “shift” by raising canes in Gainesville, Florida, and on Thursday spoke to Fox News Digital about what he saw in his final seconds.

“I saw a lot going on,” he explained over the phone. “We felt like they were trying to get something. [L.J.] Cryer or [J’Wan] Roberts. So they performed a little action on the right side of the wing. [Florida’s] Intention [Richard] And Ariya [Martin] Putting pressure on the ball has done a good job. Sharp slid into the baseline there. I thought he was going to set up a back screen for Roberts, so I was stuck there with a bit of paint.

Houston’s Kelvin Sampson is final owner in the title loss: “You have to get a shot”

“He let it slide, and then I thought in my head, “Go out there and compete for a shot.” [I] Hopping up to the side, he pumped out a bit and threw the ball down.

Clayton and the Gators have not complained about the shots that were never held back by Houston. Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson admitted his own surprise in his post-game comments, saying in the situation, “You have to take a shot.”

Clayton gave some insight into what the Gators were looking for on the other side of the floor when play resumed.

“We talked about whether they’re running flare screens for crying hands or running Roberts’ back screens,” Clayton said. “So we felt that they would be the two options they made. They dumped us with that little surprise, but we were ready to happen.”

Houston Cougars Guard Emmanuel Sharp (21) shoots against Florida Gators Guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) in the second half of the 2025 National Championship Game at the Alamodame. (Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images)

Looking back at the final play, it appeared that Houston had a play for Kryer, who again won the ball after some screens were set. But Florida sniffed it and was right in his face when Richard received the pass.

Sharp then escapes from Clayton and meets Kryer for a pass. He wanted to get off the 3 pointer for victory. However, Clayton fully timing his jump, with the rest down in history as Florida won its first title since 2007.

“Man, I feel good,” Clayton said when asked about being a national champion. “To be honest, I can’t even explain that feeling. Me and some people are still talking about it. That’s not realistic yet, but it’s a great feeling to go back to Gainesville.”