2023 Recruiting: Gavin Griffiths updates his recruiting

[HooperScooper]

It's really tough to tell at this point who the staff is prioritizing. I guess we'll find out more this spring during the AAU season.

Class of 2023 four-star Gavin Griffiths talks schools prioritizing

West Hartford (CT) Kingswood-Oxford School four-star wing Gavin Griffiths has seen his recruitment pick up with new offers from Pitt and Creighton this week. As of right

247sports.com

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

I kinda want him more than Edwards. I’ve seen him play and boy can he shoot.

I mean getting both him and Edwards would be nice

 

[Mooch82]

Agreed with it being tough to tell who we are prioritizing right now. For a while I thought Griffiths and Bol Bowen were at the top of our priority list, and that we were in great shape with both. Then after we got Castle we started it seemed like we backed off TBB (although their recruitments don't overlap), and I begun to get less confident about Griffiths. I also felt good about Miranda at one point but then we heard he is a bit of a long shot. The one guy I know we are prioritizing is Edwards but we have some stiff competition there...

 

[huskiesouth]

Not exactly the most optimistic summary from a UConn viewpoint, but he's a teenager, never know.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

I kinda want him more than Edwards. I’ve seen him play and boy can he shoot.

I mean getting both him and Edwards would be nice

Beating out Kentucky for a 5 star would be a much bigger win for the program than getting another local 4 star, but like you said obviously both is the ideal scenario.

 

[husky429]

We are in good shape here. No need to fret. It's not a given because we're the hometown school unlike Clingan, but we have as good of a shot as anybody, and we have a great relationship with him.

Priorities will become more clear in April. Expect some of the names we haven't seen mentioned much pop up more (James Johns for example)

 

[HooperScooper]

Not exactly the most optimistic summary from a UConn viewpoint, but he's a teenager, never know.

Eh, I remember reading stuff exactly like this from Karaban. I figured he wasn't a priority and then boom, he commits. Remember some of the stuff from Clingan talking about all the schools recruiting him and he didn't sound that enthusiastic about UConn? Just hard to tell with recruiting sometimes.

 

[husky429]

Eh, I remember reading stuff exactly like this from Karaban. I figured he wasn't a priority and then boom, he commits. Remember some of the stuff from Clingan talking about all the schools recruiting him and he didn't sound that enthusiastic about UConn? Just hard to tell with recruiting sometimes.

We watched every one of his games last summer. That's so much more telling because the articles can be spun any number of ways depending on the source.

FWIW Griffiths looks stronger in this picture to me. I bet he's pushing 185/190 at this point.

 

[CL82]

“When I visit schools I look at the teammates and culture on the team. I'm looking to see If they're guys I can see myself playing with and going to school with.”

Who knows? I like our chances.

 

[BGesus4]

All of these kids are trying to answer these interview questions to not give away where they may like the best before their recruitments over.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

All of these kids are trying to answer these interview questions to not give away where they may like the best before their recruitments over.

And there is also some level of poor writing/journalism involved as well... Time will tell.

 

[superjohn]

I kinda want him more than Edwards. I’ve seen him play and boy can he shoot.

I mean getting both him and Edwards would be nice

They aren't either/or. They're both priorities and we're in a very good place with both.

 

[Watchdog]

It's always interesting to hear what the kids say. They're all so enthusiastic and innocent they're likely to believe what the coaches tell them in spite of ample evidence to the contrary.

Player's quote: “I spoke to coach Howard on the phone for the first time not too long ago. He's a great coach and was a great player so it would be great to learn from a guy like that."

My cynical mind would revise the quote to the following: "Coach Howard told me not to listen to those who say he had to bring Coach Martelli on staff to help him run the program. He just felt sorry for Coach Martelli being out of a job. Felt close to him because neither of them ever won a championship."

The reality is Howard's team is 15-12 and unranked after being ranked #5 preseaon with the following quote from CBS Sports about their prospects: 5. Michigan: Juwann Howard should have another Final Four contender

Here's their quote on UConn at #33. Pretty spot on:
33. UConn: There's a lot of tempting weapons who will be eager to prove their worth now that James Bouknight is in the NBA. Whether UConn has that dynamic playmaker to ensure this is a top-35 team remains to be seen. I'll take my chances with Dan Hurley. Who'll be the best player? It's TBD. The answer should come from the trio of Adam Sanogo, Isaiah Whaley and R.J. Cole. Whaley could be the top overall defender in the conference. Cole could drop 30 in a night. (Efficiency is the factor.) Sanogo will be the most improved player in the Big East. I think Tyler Polley's capacity as a go-to guy late in games will add a dimension that this team lacked last season. This will be a rugged team, but also one with potential to peel off 14-2 runs. Hitting 80 points will be a special occasion, but there seems to be little doubt that UConn is a top-four Big East squad.

 

[Watchdog]

They aren't either/or. They're both priorities and we're in a very good place with both.

Now that would be some roster reconstruction over the next couple years!

 

[HooperScooper]

We watched every one of his games last summer. That's so much more telling because the articles can be spun any number of ways depending on the source.

Yup, agree 100%. Which is why I said we'll find out this spring and summer AAU seasons who the priorities are.

 

[MDHuskFan]

It's always interesting to hear what the kids say. They're all so enthusiastic and innocent they're likely to believe what the coaches tell them in spite of ample evidence to the contrary.

Player's quote: “I spoke to coach Howard on the phone for the first time not too long ago. He's a great coach and was a great player so it would be great to learn from a guy like that."

My cynical mind would revise the quote to the following: "Coach Howard told me not to listen to those who say he had to bring Coach Martelli on staff to help him run the program. He just felt sorry for Coach Martelli being out of a job. Felt close to him because neither of them ever won a championship."

The reality is Howard's team is 15-12 and unranked after being ranked #5 preseaon with the following quote from CBS Sports about their prospects: 5. Michigan: Juwann Howard should have another Final Four contender

Here's their quote on UConn at #33. Pretty spot on:
33. UConn: There's a lot of tempting weapons who will be eager to prove their worth now that James Bouknight is in the NBA. Whether UConn has that dynamic playmaker to ensure this is a top-35 team remains to be seen. I'll take my chances with Dan Hurley. Who'll be the best player? It's TBD. The answer should come from the trio of Adam Sanogo, Isaiah Whaley and R.J. Cole. Whaley could be the top overall defender in the conference. Cole could drop 30 in a night. (Efficiency is the factor.) Sanogo will be the most improved player in the Big East. I think Tyler Polley's capacity as a go-to guy late in games will add a dimension that this team lacked last season. This will be a rugged team, but also one with potential to peel off 14-2 runs. Hitting 80 points will be a special occasion, but there seems to be little doubt that UConn is a top-four Big East squad.

Totally forgot about MIP. Has to be Adama right?

 

[navery12]

Totally forgot about MIP. Has to be Adama right?

Justin Lewis has a pretty strong case too, I'd imagine it has to be 1 of the 2.

Sanogo went from averaging 7 and 5 on 55% shooting with 1 block per game last yea to 15 and 8 on 53% shooting with 2 blocks.

Lewis went from 8 and 5 on 47% shooting to 16 and 8 on 50% shooting, and went from 21% from 3 to 34% (on 5 attempts per game this year versus 1.5 last year).

 

[aburks41]

Totally forgot about MIP. Has to be Adama right?

Between him and Justin Lewis for sure. But Adama deserves it more

 

[gtcam]

Player's quote: “I spoke to coach Howard on the phone for the first time not too long ago. He's a great coach and was a great player so it would be great to learn from a guy like that."

My cynical mind would revise the quote to the following: "Coach Howard told me not to listen to those who say he had to bring Coach Martelli on staff to help him run the program. He just felt sorry for Coach Martelli being out of a job. Felt close to him because neither of them ever won a championship."

It takes more than a cynical mind to concoct something like this up out of a kid saying that JH was a great player and great coach. Juwann Howard didn't have to bring on Coach Phil, he was referred by a coach we all know of here at UConn. I think Phil would have proven to be a great mentor for DH.
Phil Martelli Jr is going to be a really good head coach in the college ranks soon.

 

[ClumsyLibrarian]

I find it more interesting that he didn’t mention Providence. I thought they were all over him

 

[Umami Zen]

Can't blame Top 50 kids for taking their time on college decisions. Covid-eligible returnee decisions?? (ie Cole/Martin) Portal activity?? Coaches staying- going?? Roster fit??

Our Program trajectory should be attractive to the right kids. It will take care of itself. For now--Enjoy the ride into the BET and the Tournament.

 

[UconnU]

I don’t get the super warm and fuzzies with GG anymore. Seems like he’s keeping all options open. Bringing him to that Butler game in an empty XL center that’s falling apart probably didn’t do us any favors.

 

[Waquoit]

Bringing him to that Butler game in an empty XL center that’s falling apart probably didn’t do us any favors.

Especially when I read that his family doesn't own a TV.

 

[Waquoit]

Sanogo went from averaging 7 and 5 on 55% shooting with 1 block per game last yea to 15 and 8 on 53% shooting with 2 blocks.

I still say he needs to finish better. He's improved his passing game.

 

[awfuldan]

Justin Lewis has a pretty strong case too, I'd imagine it has to be 1 of the 2.

Sanogo went from averaging 7 and 5 on 55% shooting with 1 block per game last yea to 15 and 8 on 53% shooting with 2 blocks.

Lewis went from 8 and 5 on 47% shooting to 16 and 8 on 50% shooting, and went from 21% from 3 to 34% (on 5 attempts per game this year versus 1.5 last year).

Bynum has to be in there too. Last year he averaged 5.8ppg on 33%/19% shooting. This year he is 12.7ppg on 44%/44% shooting, and the numbers are even better in conference play. He made 5 three's last year total and now he averages two makes a game on almost 50% shooting in conference play.