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NWT - Walt Hazzard passes

deacfreke2

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Former UCLA great Walt Hazzard just passed at 69. That makes me feel old because I remember pulling hard for UCLA to beat Duke in the '64 National Title game. Duke was loaded that year with Jeff Mullins, Jay Buckley, Hack Tison, and others but the Bruins were just too good for them.

Hazzard teamed with Gail Goodrich to form a dynamic UCLA backcourt, and the Hazzard/Goodrich combo torched the Dukies. He went on to a 10 year NBA career and coached the Bruins in the mid-80s.
 
A wonderful college player. I'll never forget the destruction he and Gail Goodrich wrecked with their full court press on a Duke team that was much bigger and very talented in the NCAA championship game. IIRC there was no player taller than 6'5" on UCLA's starting five, and Duke had what at that time was very unusual two starters 6'10", plus All-Americans such as Art Heyman and Jeff Mullins. And Duke had a damn good coach in Vic Bubas too. Yet, UCLA ran Duke out of the gym, destroyed them like teams are seldom destroyed, especially in an NCAA final. One blur of steals, lay-ups, and open jumpers after another by Hazzard and Goodrich.

RIP Walt.
 
Getting Hazard out of Philly was a key to UCLA becomnig a national power. At that point superstar HSers rarely moved that far from home.

RIP
 
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