The final possession of the Houston Couars in the NCAA tournament final on Monday night against the Florida Gators was a head scraper to say it lightly.
Below 65-63 with the opportunity to tie it, or better yet, finish the game, the Coupars could not shoot. Emanuel Sharp seemed to put a triple for victory, but simply dropped the ball when a gattors’ defender closed to block the shot attempt.
The Coupars had ball losses before that possession, but the fact that no shot shot up near the final bell had many scratching his head on what Houston was thinking.
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The Houston Couars chief coach Kelvin Sampson reacts after a play against the Florida Gators during the final game Four in the Alamodome. (Bob Donnan-Imagn images)
Chief coach Kelvin Sampson, trying to take his team of great Coupars to the first national title of the program, looked at the court when the final bell blew and seemed stunned by what had happened.
In his interview after the game, Sampson obviously knew the question that came: what was the work and, more importantly, why did not go up?
Florida wins the NCAA tournament on Houston after erasing a 12 -point deficit excitingly
Sampson said Sharp should have triggered in that deep attempt at 3 points instead of jumping and letting the ball go (he stopped around him because he would have called a double sink if he had touched it first).
“Both types, [Florida’s Will] Richard and [Alijah] Martin, both very good defensively, “said Sampson.” Clayton made a great play about it. But that’s why you have to shoot and get into painting.
“Two are fine.”
But Sampson knows, no matter what defense, bringing a ball to the network only had to happen.
The Houston Couars chief coach Kelvin Sampson reacts during the final game Four in the Alamodome. (Scott Wachter-Imagn images)
“In the end, you have to have a chance,” he said. “You have to do better than that.”
However, Sampson told ESPN that he was not shouting at his players in the locker room after the game. They fought throughout the tournament, including defeat Duke in a victory behind in the Final Four.
In this final, the Couars saw their advantage of 12 points erased in the second half by the Gators.
The Houston Couars chief coach Kelvin Sampson told his players after the game: “I told them that they were disappointed to lose, but that they did not disappoint their effort.” (Bob Donnan-Imagn images)
“I told them that they were disappointed to lose, but not disappoint your effort,” Sampson explained, through ESPN. “These boys have played very hard for each other. And to get so far, get a minute, two minutes, a shot in the end of winning a national championship. They have much to be proud.”
