West Aurora's Griffin continues brilliant postseason run
Roland Griffin has no intention of his high school basketball career ending prematurely.
The West Aurora forward put on a show for the ages Friday night in the championship game of the Class 4A East Aurora sectional — on both ends of the court.
The Illinois State recruit not only poured in a career-high 31 points but also limited Hinsdale Central standout Matt Rafferty to 10 points in the Blackhawks' 60-55 victory in Aurora.
Rafferty pumped in 40 of the Devils' 88 points in leading Hinsdale Central past Metea Valley Tuesday night in the first semifinal.
“He had a lot of points against Metea,” Griffin said. “Going into the game (containing him) was a priority.”
Griffin has been nothing short of sensational in his last three postseason games.
His offensive rebounding in the second half fundamentally altered the contest in the Blackhawks' regional championship win over Wheaton North.
Griffin followed the 17-point, 17-rebound game with a 24-point outing against York on Wednesday night at East Aurora.
The three-year varsity member launched West Aurora out of the gate with 16 first-half points.
The first of three 3-point plays gave West Aurora a 28-13 lead midway through the second quarter.
“I was just being aggressive,” Griffin said.
But Hinsdale Central went on a 16-1 run to forge the second tie of the game at 29-29.
It would be the final deadlock of the sectional final.
Following an unsuccessful Camron Donatlan 3-point play conversion, Griffin made it a 5-point possession with his second 3-point play.
Griffin ultimately scored 11 points in the third quarter to give West Aurora a 46-32 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
“We've had so great ones,” West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said when asked if he could recall a similar player dominating games in the playoffs. “The first one who comes to mind is Kenny Battle. Evidently, (Griffin) must smell Peoria.”
The Griffin brilliance has become contagious.
“We all play better when (Griffin) is playing like that,” West Aurora senior forward Tommy Koth said. “It's been great to see.”
“I just wanted to play in the second half like I did in the first and second quarters,” Griffin said.
But Hinsdale Central made another concerted run.
With West Aurora nursing a razor-thin lead in the last half-minute, Griffin broke the Devils' press and fed DaQuan Cross for a layup that doubled Blackhawks' lead.
“That pretty much sealed the game,” Griffin said of the last of his 3 assists.
Hinsdale Central did not score again.
“(The Devils) were getting a little too close for our liking, so I had to do something for our team,” Griffin said.