A good coach can teach a player how to do just about anything, and Florida basketball head coach Todd Golden is a good coach.
Don’t believe it? He cut down the nets on Monday night as he led the Gators to their third NCAA Championship and first since 2007.
Florida was locked in a close battle with Houston, but ultimately prevailed, 65-63.
It was a gritty game, and the Gators actually found themselves down 12 points early in the second half. Florida never gave up, though, and continued to push all the way to the end.
It goes down as its fourth comeback win during this March Madness run and it was, of course, the biggest one of them all.
How did the Gators go through the whole tournament without flinching, though? They’re obviously talented, but Golden explained on Monday night what the real secret to their success has been.
It’s the one thing he can’t coach, and that’s confidence.
“Our team’s resolve, DNA, we don’t have to give those guys confidence. You know what I mean? Walter Clayton, confident. Alijah Martin, confident,” Golden explained in the postgame. “Houston is a great team. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. The message at halftime was we have to take better care of the basketball, but we have to continue to stay aggressive and attack.”
Even after that halftime adjustment, Houston made it a tough game for the Gators. They ultimately found their stride, though, and that wasn’t something Golden had to coach them into.
“At this point in the season, they don’t need those words of encouragement. It’s kind of embedded in our DNA. They did what they always do. They stepped up,” Golden said of his team.
They stepped up, indeed, and they became champions in the process.
