By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
Washington senior Jarees Griffin has blossomed into a star since making the transition from role player to starting power forward.
Last season, Griffin barely touched the floor early in the year, before busting into the Pam Pack rotation late in the season. The 6’3” forward averaged just four points per game in 2007 as he logged less than 10 minutes per night.
Griffin never complained. Instead, he laced up his shoes and went out and did his job every night, knowing that one day his time would come.
That time is now.
After losing four starters to graduation, the Pam Pack had several question marks entering the season.
Who would step up to fill the scoring load vacated by Cor-J Cox and Daquan Collins? Could Washington find a solid rebounder? Would the Pam Pack be able to compete with so many new faces?
Griffin has helped answer those questions. Through seven games, the second-year player is leading the Pack in scoring with 20 points per game and is averaging a team-high seven rebounds per contest. More importantly, he’s helped Washington get off to a 5-2 start this season.
This summer, Griffin spent hours on end, shooting the basketball, playing pick up games and hitting the weight room.
His hard work has paid huge dividends.
Not only has he proven to be a scoring threat, but he’s also showed the ability to be a tremendous rebounder, particularly on the offensive glass.
Although the Pam Pack lost more than a handful of seniors from last year’s squad, the athletic forward believes that this year’s team has the ability to be as good as last year’s team that went 12-10 and advanced to the first round of the state playoffs.
He’s tired of hearing folks call this season, “a rebuilding year.”
As long as Griffin keeps performing the way he has the first seven games, who can argue?