Owensboro Catholic’s Brian Griffith didn’t have his junior season end the way he thought as a knee injury derailed his final few weeks but that doesn’t diminish what Griffith was able to do on the court this year for the Aces.
Griffith averaged 22.6 ppg for Catholic this season as he caused havoc for opposing defense with his speed and quicknesses.
It’s Griffith’s ability to score when the Aces needed a bucket most that makes him the Owensboro Times Male Basketball Player of the Year.
“It feels good to be voted player of the year from the local coaches,” he said.
Catholic coach Tim Riley praised his junior guards accomplishments this season.
“There’s not very many people that can average 23 ppg,” he said. “When you go out there and you know he’s going to provide so many points for your team. That’s one of the big things. He’s a great scorer of the basketball and there’s not a lot of guys that can do it as well as he can.
“When he decides to get down in there, he can dominate defensively as well because of his speed and quickness.”
Catholic finished 18-10 last season but Griffith wasn’t the only injury the Aces dealt with in 2021.
Senior Gray Weaver was injured in the first roud of the All “A” Classic State Tournament against Clinton County and didn’t dee the floor again.
Despite that, the Aces preserved and made it back to the 3rd Region Championship game this season.
Griffith said it’s a great feeling to accomplish what they with Aces did with the cards they were dealt.
Riley has been around basketball for decades but he hasn’t seen many players like Griffith.
“Over the course of my years, I’ve not had very many guys that averaged 20 ppg,” he said. “I think he might be the fourth guy that’s averaged 20 ppg for me. Really and truly, that’s what he is. He plays the point but what he’s special at is scoring the basketball.”
Riley said there are even times when he’s seen Griffith make a move and he asks himself how he did it.
“There’s been a bunch of them,” Riley said of special moments for Griffith. “He’ll shock you at times. The one thing he has, he can drive and be at full speed and shoot a ball with so much balance, not very many guys can do that. He can be full speed and slow it down and shoot it but shoot it with balance. You just don’t see it very often.”
Griffith has already started his rehab and said while it’s been difficult, he’s excited about the finish line.
“My recovery has been going good,” he said. “Wish I was playing all the time but I know one day I’ll be back out there.”
Riley echoed his guards sentiment and knows this time off has been rough on him.
“He just loves to play basketball so it’s been really hard on him, this injury has,” he said. “He loves to play. That’s who he is. It’s not been easy on him. He’s one of those guys that truly loves basketball and wants to be in the gym all the time.”
All-Owensboro Times Team
Brian Griffith, Owensboro Catholic
Ji Webb, Owensboro Catholic
Amari Robinson-Wales, Owensboro
Kenyata Carbon, Owensboro
Cameron Frantz, Apollo
Landon Huff, Trinity
Cole Burch, Daviess County
