No Subject

"PHOENIX, APRIL 21 -- The Continental Basketball Association announced
today that Connecticut Pride guard Adrian Griffin has been named the 1999
CBA Most Valuable Player.  Griffin edged out teammate James "Bull" Martin for
the award in balloting conducted by the league's nine head coaches. 

Griffin, drafted in the sixth round (64th overall) of the 1996 CBA Draft by
the
Pride, finished the 1998-99 regular season fourth in scoring (18.9 ppg),
seventh
in rebounding (7.6 rpg), and tied for second in steals (2.2 spg). 

The six-foot, five-inch Griffin played in 47 of 56 games, shooting .456
(319-699)
from the field and .851 (222-261) from the free throw line.  Griffin recorded
single-game highs of 31 points versus the Yakima Sun Kings (Mar. 6) and the
Rockford Lightning (Apr. 1), 14 rebounds versus the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Feb.
5), and had at least five steals 4 times. 

"Adrian has been our most consistent performer and the guy we have looked to
all season long," said Pride head coach Tyler Jones.  "Adrian is not always
flashy,
but he does all of the subtle things day-in and day-out that win basketball
games. 
He has proven that he can play with the best in the league, and no matter what
you ask him to do, whether to rebound, score, or defend, Adrian will do it for
you.  There is nobody more deserving than Adrian Griffin.  He is one of the
keys
to our success, and we would not have gotten to where we are now without
him." 

"Being named MVP is an honor, and I would like to thank first and foremost the
Lord and my teammates, because without them I would have never been in the
position to receive this award," stated Griffin.  "I would also like to thank
[Head
Coach & General Manager] Tyler Jones and the coaching staff for their guidance
and support in allowing me to develop my game.  The CBA has been a great
opportunity for me, and I have been fortunate to play in such a great place as
Hartford (CT), and my thanks and appreciation goes out to the fans and all who
have supported me in my three years here." 

The Seton Hall University standout earned CBA American Conference Player of
the Week honors five times (Nov. 30, Feb. 22, Mar. 1, Mar. 8, and Mar. 23)
and received a CBA-to-NBA Call-Up to the Miami Heat Training Camp (Jan.
21).  This season, Griffin was runner-up in Defensive Player of the Year
balloting
and recognized as a member of the 1999 CBA All-Defensive Team."

Interestingly enough, Adrian Griffin was also awarded Player of the Year
in the USBL (the summer pro league) for 1999. He was also on the
all-defensive 
team:

"Following are the 1999 USBL Award Winners:
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: ADRIAN GRIFFIN, ATLANTIC CITY (Seagulls)
...The Atlantic City Seagulls took home the 1999 USBL title with an 83-77
championship game victory over the Connecticut Skyhawks, becoming the
first team in league history to win three straight titles. Adrian Griffin, the
1998
Championship Game MVP, won the award again in '99 with 25 points and
nine rebounds in the victory..."

The stats I've seen indicate he shoots close to 50% w/free throws well over 
80% and gets a lot of steals. Don't know about 3-pt range (unlikely, or
we'd have seen him sooner in the NBA), but add a solid
defensive player to this and he sounds promising.  The USBL roster 
lists him as a 6-7 forward, the CBA a 6-5 guard.

These sites are fun to peruse. Did you know that the Sioux Falls Skyforce
have a Lewis Drug Family Night every Tuesday?

 --Ellie