Tag: Gavin Griffiths

Gavin Griffiths ready to make his mark at Rutgers

Gavin Griffiths brings lots of potential to Rutgers basketball.

When the 2023-2024 college basketball season begins, Rutgers roster will be full of new faces. That includes Gavin Griffiths, the highest-ranked recruit in the Steve Pikiell-era. As the Connecticut native begins his college career, he will play a key role in Rutger’s success moving forward.

With the addition of Griffiths, Rutgers offense will get a much-needed boost. During his junior season, the talented small forward averaged 24 points and four assists a game. He was a threat from beyond the arc and thrived on the corners. However, he does not only make an impact with his scoring ability.

“I can do a lot of things on the court,” Griffiths told Rutgers athletics. “I can shoot, dunk and pass, but I mostly pride myself on playing hard. I’m going to be one of the guys always in the practice facility. Winning games for Rutgers is what I really want to do.”

Griffiths diverse skillset is one of the reasons he was one of the top players in his recruiting class. He was ranked No. 30 in the country by Rivals and No. 36 by ESPN. Only one player in program history was ranked higher at the time of their recruitment.

While the five-star recruit has created plenty of excitement, he will be playing in an unfamiliar setting. During his visits to Piscataway, he was blown away by the atmosphere at Jersey Mike’s Arena. It is a place he has been dreaming of calling home.

“When I visited, you could definitely hear the floor and the whole arena shaking,” Griffiths said. “I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like to play there. I’ve never played in front of close to that many people before and I can’t wait.”

In Griffiths, the Scarlet Knights are getting a player that is motivated to win and who has modeled his shot after Kevin Durant. He also takes nothing for granted and is determined to make the most of his skillset.

“I feel like I have been blessed with all of these abilities and I feel like I have to make the most out of it,” Griffiths said.

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Jon Rothstein projects the Rutgers basketball starting five

Jon Rothstein projects the Rutgers men’s basketball starting lineup.

Put it in pen: Rutgers basketball has a starting five according to Jon Rothstein. The college basketball insider has spoken following his time spent at the team’s facility this week.

The lineup projection isn’t much of a surprise, but the inclusion of a true freshman is particularly interesting or perhaps, more apropos, intriguing.

Four-star Gavin Griffiths, the highest-ranked player to ever sign with Rutgers, is in the starting five at small forward according to Rothstein. The 6-foot-6 forward from Connecticut was ranked the No. 12 small forward in the nation according to ESPN.

Why is this significant? Rothstein was at the men’s basketball practice on Thursday, giving him up close access. Seeing Griffiths work out and perform in person is just further validation that the program landed someone who can contribute and help immediately.

 

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Rothstein also has Mawot Mag, injured last season in the win at Madison Square Garden over Michigan State, in his starting lineup. Mag likely won’t be ready at the start of the season but his loss last season was noticeable, coinciding with the team’s drop in form.

Again, like the news about Griffiths, the inclusion of Mag in the starting lineup at some point this upcoming season is a nice little nugget from Rothstein. Not shocking, but just good confirmation about the player’s progress this offseason.

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Griffiths adds a true shooter’s touch to the lineup, with the ability to stretch the floor. He has a very polished outside game.

With a healthy Mag and the insertion of [autotag]Noah Fernandes[/autotag], a transfer from UMass, the Rutgers lineup should get the Scarlet Knights back to the postseason.

Rothstein is a college basketball insider for CBS Sports and creates content for Fan Duel.

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Rutgers officially sign four-star recruit Gavin Griffiths

Rutgers basketball signs Gavin Griffiths.

On Wednesday, Rutgers basketball added a pivotal piece to the future in Gavin Griffiths. The four-star recruit became the lone member of Ru’s 2023 when he officially signed his national letter of intent. His commitment is an encouraging sign for the Scarlet Knights.

ESPN ranked Griffiths as the 36th best prospect in the country, and he is the highest-ranked player landed in the Steve Pikiell-era. One key factor in his decision was the impression the RU coaching staff made during his official visit.

“The coaching staff was just such a big part of my decision,” Griffiths told reporters. “I think it says a lot about my decision to pick Rutgers that I really wanted to do that. Once I decided, I just knew I had to tell them in person.”

The West Harford native brings an impressive resume to Piscataway and has already played against elite competition. Over the last few years, he has competed with the AAU program Expressions Elite in the Nike EYBL league.

Additionally, on April 20, The New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) named Griffiths the ’23 Player of the Year in Class B Basketball. In his junior season, he averaged 24 points and eight rebounds a game.

With the anticipation quickly building for his Rutgers debut, the talented shooter is ready to make his mark. The Scarlet Knights have made the NCAA Tournament the last two years, and they are hoping some memorable runs will be in store once Griffiths steps on campus.

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Watch: Rutgers basketball recruit Gavin Griffiths (set to announce Thursday) balled out at Nike EYBL

Report: Gavin Griffiths set to announce on Thursday.

Four-star Gavin Griffiths put on a display over the weekend, showing why he is a coveted prospect and one of the best forwards in the class of 2023.

Griffiths is one of the top prospects on the Rutgers recruiting board – if not the top prospect. With a college decision potentially coming down the road sooner rather than later, Griffiths showed that is capable of being an elite player at the national level.

He showed great shooting range, athleticism, ball-handling, rebounding and defensive prowess over the weekend at the Nike EYBL event in Louisville. His movement and fluidity was impressive in the highlights posted on social media:

 

The 6-foot-7 small forward is the No. 33 player in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite.

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The four-star small forward is ranked as the No. 3 player in Connecticut:

 

He holds offers from Iowa, Alabama, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Xavier among others.

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Griffiths is scheduled to make his collegiate announcement on Thursday.

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