X lands D2 player Bryan Griffin

[94GRAD]

https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1244349056614359040

[xuphan]

https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1244349056614359040

Great numbers. Grad transfer? Any info on his game?

[atljar]

2018-19: Named NABC East All-District Second Team… Named First Team All-ECC… Tabbed First Team All-Met… Named MBWA Division II-III Player of the Week once (1/29)… Tabbed ECC Co-Player of the Week once (2/25)… Named ECC Defensive Player of the Week four times (12/10, 12/17, 1/28, 2/4)… Named to ECC Honor Roll six times (11/19, 12/3, 1/14, 1/22, 2/18, 3/4)… Tabbed MBWA Division II-III Player of the Week Honorable Mention seven times (12/11, 12/18, 1/15, 1/22, 2/5, 2/19, 2/26)… Appeared in all 26 games making 26 starts… Averaged 20.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game… Led team with 64 blocks and had 14 steals… Shot 55.9 percent from the floor (No. 4 in ECC) and 46.0 percent from downtown (No. 1 in ECC)… Led the team in scoring and rebounding… Set a new single-season school record with 300 rebounds… Led ECC in rebounding, was second in blocks and third in scoring… Ranked in top five in Division II in rebounds per game and double-doubles… Had 17 double-doubles and scored in double figures in all but one game… Had 13 games with 20 or more points… Scored a career-high 33 points with a career-high 23 rebounds in win over LIU Post on February 23rd… Recorded 31 points and 19 rebounds in victory over LIU Post on January 26th.

[flatspat]

Hope he’s as good as Hankins

[xavierj]

Here is some highlights from two seasons ago. Competition bad but guy looks big, athletic and has a nice stroke.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ILO4YqEuvl4

[Lloyd Braun]

Dang... this guy looks legit. Malcolm Bernard seal of approval helps too. Hidden gem, perhaps.

[XUGRAD80]

6-8 and 220 lbs. entered college at 6-6 and 290, so he grew 2 inches and lost 70 lbs over his career.

Welcome!


I also read that he talked with Free, Scruggs, and Carter before deciding. Sounding more and more like Scruggs will be returning.

[xu82]

6-8 and 220 lbs. entered college at 6-6 and 290, so he grew 2 inches and lost 70 lbs over his career.

Welcome!


I also read that he talked with Free, Scruggs, and Carter before deciding. Sounding more and more like Scruggs will be returning.

Agree, and that’s great news. I never really understood the idea that he would leave. He’s a very solid college player. I’ll be very happy if he’s back, and even happier if we have a season that goes off as scheduled.

[bjf123]

6-8 and 220 lbs. entered college at 6-6 and 290, so he grew 2 inches and lost 70 lbs over his career.

Welcome!


I also read that he talked with Free, Scruggs, and Carter before deciding. Sounding more and more like Scruggs will be returning.

Assuming Scruggs come back, aren’t we a little heavy at the 2? Who’s playing PG, Odom?


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[XUGRAD80]

Who knows? I’m sure that will be decided based on how they practice and play. Based on what we have HEARD about Odom I’d say he has a real chance of starting as a freshman, but he’s going to have to play better than Scruggs or Tandy. It’s been so long since Xavier had a real pure PG that could really control a game, that I don’t know that Xavier hasn’t developed a system that doesn’t rely on one. Not a good system mind you, but I almost feel like the program is going to have to adjust to having one...if Odom is all he is cracked up to be.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

This guy Bryan looks agile and can score from inside and outside. X can use this big man to play the 3 or 4.

[XUGRAD80]

He has made like 44 3-pointers in his career so far. I can see several lineups where every player could be a 3 pointer threat. Could be fun.

[Juice]

This guy Bryan looks agile and can score from inside and outside. X can use this big man to play the 3 or 4.

He's a center. He's not playing those positions.

[sirthought]

https://i.gifer.com/origin/9d/9dd84fcb148474348e590930b85dc50b_w200.gif

I wish we didn't have to go searching through D2 players, but I guess you have to find the big dawgs somewhere.

[XUGRAD80]

He's a center. He's not playing those positions.

Watch some video on him, he looks very much at home on the exterior. In addition, he is referred to as a forward on all the sites I have seen.

[Juice]

Watch some video on him, he looks very much at home on the exterior. In addition, he is referred to as a forward on all the sites I have seen.

That’s fine at the D2 level but he’s not doing that stuff at Xavier. You all thought Carter had a tough adjustment from the MAC to the BE, now think of this situation. He’s a massive dude who will not be able to guard wings and 4s in our conference.

[XUGRAD80]

That’s fine at the D2 level but he’s not doing that stuff at Xavier. You all thought Carter had a tough adjustment from the MAC to the BE, now think of this situation. He’s a massive dude who will not be able to guard wings and 4s in our conference.

Defensively....you may be correct, but the same could be said about his ability to guard many of the true centers in the BE.

Offensively...he doesn’t appear to be the type player that posts people up on the low block. I think most people are commenting on where and how he will play offensively.

When asked what he will bring to Xavier, his response was “rebounding”. He didn’t mention anything about being a low post presence, a defender, or an outside shooter.

I’ll also point out that there were a lot of people on the boards that discounted Hankins as being a “D-2” player when he was initially signed. They worried about his ability to defend D-1 talent, or to score against D-1 defenders, and many flat out said he wouldn’t be able to do so. While I understand concern, I don’t quite understand how anyone can say what the new players are, or aren’t capable of, before they have even seen them play. Only time will tell for sure.

[bleedXblue]

Defensively....you may be correct, but the same could be said about his ability to guard many of the true centers in the BE.

Offensively...he doesn’t appear to be the type player that posts people up on the low block. I think most people are commenting on where and how he will play offensively.

When asked what he will bring to Xavier, his response was “rebounding”. He didn’t mention anything about being a low post presence, a defender, or an outside shooter.

I’ll also point out that there were a lot of people on the boards that discounted Hankins as being a “D-2” player when he was initially signed. They worried about his ability to defend D-1 talent, or to score against D-1 defenders, and many flat out said he wouldn’t be able to do so. While I understand concern, I don’t quite understand how anyone can say what the new players are, or aren’t capable of, before they have even seen them play. Only time will tell for sure.

Exactly I don't have huge expectations. I hope he can rebound and defend in the post. If he can score a little, great.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I am optimistic and trust the coaches. Our last D2 big man turned out well.

The reason I am a little weary is, and someone on twitter pointed this out, just how there are big discrepancies in teams and talent in D1, the same is true in D2. Hankins came from a team who competes for national championships at the D2 level and was D2 POY. Griffin was on a team who went 5-21 last year, 8-18 the year before, and 10-19 the year before that.

Doesnt mean he wont work out. I think if the expectation is Hankins type production though we are looking to be disappointed.

[atljar]

And with that said, let's give the guy until BE play before casting stones. Hankins pretty much sucked in the pre-conference to my memory

[D-West & PO-Z]

And with that said, let's give the guy until BE play before casting stones. Hankins pretty much sucked in the pre-conference to my memory

Yeah either way I would imagine he is going to need some time to adjust.

[chico]

When asked what he will bring to Xavier, his response was “rebounding”. He didn’t mention anything about being a low post presence, a defender, or an outside shooter.

He also mentioned shot blocking and scoring along with rebounding as his best attributes. If anyone subscribes to The Athletic (I'd recommend it) Shannon has a good write-up on him.

[nuts4xu]

And with that said, let's give the guy until BE play before casting stones. Hankins pretty much sucked in the pre-conference to my memory

Ask CJ Anderson about how good Hankins was during his time at Xavier, and he will agree with you.

[noteggs]

Currently, we have an all BE freshman team member who mostly played and is a center with Freemantle coming back. Also, we’ve got a very athletic (albeit unproven) redshirt freshman in Miles. Unfortunately we don’t know about Ramsey health.

What we needed was a decent backup who could rebound, give us a few minutes, and bang with the big guys in the Big East. Hopefully he’ll be that guy.

[whopper]

to move up to Xavier from Mercy is a big step as look at Mercy's schedule and see U Bridgeport, Daemon etc but he did dominate. We should see a wide variety of lineups is Odom, Colby Jones, Wilcher are as good as advertised. It annoyed me that Moore and James never got enough time against the Jacksonvilles, Lipscombs, etc as we did not win by enough and i think it hurt us in the end. Kaiser gates only averaged 7 and 4 but with a pro type body and game..could Griffin do the same?

[XU 87]

He's a center. He's not playing those positions.

I think you belong to 247. So you read the same things I did on that site, but the guy actually has nice looking shot from outside. I'm guessing that he might play a little on the wing, even at the 5 position.

Granted, these guys always look phenomenal on their video highlight tapes, but he does he a have a nice looking shot.

[Muskie]

I think you belong to 247. So you read the same things I did on that site, but the guy actually has nice looking shot from outside. I'm guessing that he might play a little on the wing, even at the 5 position.

Granted, these guys always look phenomenal on their video highlight tapes, but he does he a have a nice looking shot.

Kanter was a 5 and took some 3's. If he's any sorta threat I'm sure a play will be drawn up that makes it a possibility.

[IM4X]

If he turns out to be a lot like Kanter, how happy would we all be? He actually looks more athletic than Kanter. He can jump well. Supposedly blocks well too.
He doesn’t just have a nice looking shoot from 3, but a quick release too.

14.5 rebounds a game, even if it is at the D2 level, is amazing. If he can give us even close to 8 rebounds a game and 8 points, it would prove a good pick up.

[Masterofreality]

Ask CJ Anderson about how good Hankins was during his time at Xavier, and he will agree with you.

That Twitter kerfluffle is hilarious. ��

[sirthought]

I watched some video of Griffin last night. He was frequently the tallest player on the court. That doesn't mean you'll always rebound better, but his competition had a big disadvantage, and that won't be the same at all at in the Big East. Taller all around and more physical.

I think we should be content that this is a practice guy who is there if someone gets hurt or major foul trouble. He's not like Kanter who played against his brother his whole life and competed at DI for three years. He's like Andy Taylor who was in the right place at the right time to move up to a bigger program.

If he legit spreads the floor with his shot I'll be cheering. Not getting my hopes up though.

[XUGRAD80]

These players are about building depth, not about improving the starting lineup. No reason to think that they are going to come in and be saviors. Also no reason to think that they are going to come in and be useless.

[bjf123]

These players are about building depth, not about improving the starting lineup. No reason to think that they are going to come in and be saviors. Also no reason to think that they are going to come in and be useless.

Well, there goes everyone’s fun in either nailing Steele to the wall or planning on a national championship!


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[XUGRAD80]

Well, there goes everyone’s fun in either nailing Steele to the wall or planning on a national championship!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, there is always those that will nail him to the wall for not winning a national championship....so some will still have fun. I guess?