Syracuse Basketball: Alan Griffin, home in NY, playing like an All-American

Syracuse basketball junior Alan Griffin is putting forth a tremendous all-around campaign to date.

Syracuse basketball junior Alan Griffin, in several Zoom calls with media members that I’ve listened in on, has proven a bit soft-spoken. Articulate, confident, humble and intelligent, but soft-spoken.

The 6-foot-5 wing, however, is having no troubles so far in the 2020-21 campaign letting his play on the court speak for itself. Sure, it’s early on in this current term, as the Orange (4-1) prepares to host Northeastern in a non-conference afternoon battle from the Carrier Dome on Wednesday.

However, for my money, at this juncture, Griffin belongs on the All-ACC first team, and he should be among the handful of guys in the running for Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2020-21.

Let me reiterate, the present stanza has a long, long way to go. Hopefully, the ‘Cuse and its peers around the country get to suit up in relatively full regular seasons, conference tournaments and, of course, March Madness amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. But what the future brings in collegiate hoops remains unclear.

This much, though, is lucid. Griffin, a native of Ossining, N.Y., who transferred to the Hill after two solid but not spectacular terms with Big Ten Conference member Illinois, where he was a role player, has already carved out a leadership role with Syracuse basketball. From what I can tell, he’s a tireless worker, a consummate teammate and brings a whole lot of energy to the Orange line-up.

Where he, and the ‘Cuse team, end up in 2020-21 remains to be seen, but the excitement level over Griffin among his teammates, the SU coaching staff and the Syracuse basketball fan base is unbelievably abundant.

Syracuse basketball junior small forward Alan Griffin discusses a variety of topics in a virtual press interview.

The Orange rebounded from a recent loss at top-25 Rutgers in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge by displaying a tremendous effort in destroying Boston College on the road this past Saturday afternoon.

In doing so, the ‘Cuse showed the promise of its roster, which is still in the stages of forming a cohesive unit after missing tons of practices due to positive Covid-19 cases within the program as well as contact-tracing protocols.

Griffin, in speaking to the media on Tuesday via Zoom, said that the Orange has a really high ceiling and, in essence, is just getting started in 2020-21.

Syracuse basketball fanatics had hoped that Griffin would fill the void left by former ‘Cuse star Elijah Hughes, who departed Central New York after the 2019-20 campaign for the NBA. Griffin, without question, is doing wonders to replace Hughes as best that he can.

At Illinois, Griffin proved an efficient scorer and rebounder, but he was not a go-to guy. Now with his home state Orange, Griffin is working hard to gel in the 2-3 zone, while showing that he’s way more than a spot-up 3-point shooter.

As a sophomore for Illinois, Griffin logged 18.1 minutes per game. He’s now receiving starter-type minutes in head coach Jim Boeheim’s rotation, which means he can act with more patience and doesn’t have to rush anything, Griffin said.

According to ESPN statistics, through five affairs, Griffin is averaging 32.6 minutes, 18.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game, while connecting on 45.7 percent from the field, 83.3 percent from the charity stripe and 45.0 percent from beyond the arc.

That places him among the ACC leaders in a variety of categories, such as points, boards, field-goal shooting and 3-point shooting. Let’s cross our fingers that Griffin’s stellar production continues.

Despite being from the Empire State, he said that ‘Cuse coaches didn’t heavily recruit him in high school. They reached out to him during his senior year of high school, but it proved too late, Griffin said, adding that things happen for a reason.

However, as the cliché goes, good things come to those who wait. Well, it may have taken two stanzas of collegiate ball before it occurred, but as a junior Griffin said it’s “fun” being back in New York, competing for Syracuse basketball.

And all of us in Orange Nation are darn lucky to see Griffin, today, don a ‘Cuse uniform.