The dude in the baggy blue UCLA sweats fired it up from midcourt, the soaring ball swished through the net, and Steve Alford thrust up his arms in triumph.
It was his shot. The 52-year-old coach had just made UCLA’s most impressive basket in this NCAA tournament, draining a long ball during the middle of the Bruins’ Thursday practice at the South Regional.
The crowd at FedEx Forum roared. Pep band drums thumped. Alford stalked around the midcourt logo with arms raised, as his bemused players looked on.
Finally, one of Los Angeles’ most underappreciated coaches could take a bow.