Alfords enjoying final stretch
Father hopes to coach son, a senior, to title in final games together.
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — S t e ve Al f ord was c r i t i c i z e d f or not winning enough, considered to be on the hot seat heading into this season. Bryce Alford was knocked for shooting too much, expected to have a hard time taking a back seat to freshman phenom Lonzo Ball. Look at them now. Through all the trials and tribulations, father and son arrive at the end of their four-year run at UCLA together with a chance to do something special on their way out.
“There have been ups and downs and the challenges of being a coach’s kid and dealing with that in LA and the pressures that come behind that,” Bryce Alford said. “But at the end of the day I wouldn’t trade my experience at UCLA and my experience for anything and I don’t know if I could have done it without him by my side.”
When Steve Alford was hired at UCLA in 2013, it came as a bit of a surprise. He had just signed a 10-year contract extension at New Mexico and said he was happy in Albuquerque, leaving Lobos fans feeling jilted.
Alford took the pressure of coaching at a college basketball blue blood head on and had a successful start in Westwood, taking UCLA to the Sweet 16 his first two seasons.
One bel ow- ave r a ge s e a s on changed perceptions of Alford quickly. As UCLA struggled to a 15-17 record last season, fans began calling for his ouster despite a massive buyout.
One disgruntled fan flew a banner from the back of a plane that read “UCLA deserves better! Fire Alford!”
Alford penned an apology letter to Bruins fans and returned a one-year contract extension signed after his first season. Even after signing his best recruiting class since arriving in Westwood, headed by Ball and TJ Leaf, Alford was under pressure to win this season.
The Bruins did. With Ball running the show and the younger Alford sliding comfortably into a more off-the-ball spot, UCLA won its first 13 games while rising to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 and entered the NCAA Tournament at 29-4.
The Bruins won their South Region opener 97-80 over Kent State and will face Cincinnati today with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.
Bryce Alford has been a key cog as a senior, ranking second on the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game.
The 6-foot-3 guard will leave as UCLA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made with 322 and his 1,893 points is fifth on the Bruins’ illustrious all-time scoring list.