The Adelaide University Griffins Div 4.2 Men’s season has been up and down. With strong victories followed by woeful defeats, the Greater Griffs’ season was hanging by a thread 5 games before the playoffs. And remember, this was a team designed and build to go deep into the regular season. So, needing two victories from two starts the Grifs didn’t just come out to win, they came out to belt the living daylights out of their opposition.

Sunday night, 1/8/10, and the Greater Grifs lined up against a Norwood side that had defeated them earlier in the season. Brian Ho (M.D) and Robert Bob were unavailable for the do-or-die clash, but the Grifs brought enough firepower to down Chuck Norris. The Grifs came out running and gunning in the First Quarter, trampling right over a hapless Norwood defence. Kel was money from the outside, Scotty could miss from mid-range and the Johnson boys got busy in the key to the tune of 6 easy points. Norwood’s centre dropped 3 treys before the Grifs decided to D him up, and the first quarter scoreboard read 20-12 in favour of the Griffins.

Adam ‘Tuz”TJ”The General’ Turrell worked the basketball like it was a soap-on-a-rope in the Second Quarter, stacking dimes and embarrassing Norwood in their futile efforts to stop him, including a full-court over the head pin-point pass. Crazy-funny. Mockford got on the break (on the break, Mockford didn’t get over half court!) and layed in 6 easy. TJ dimed Kel for consecutive triples, Jay got his inside and Scotty kept banging them in from 15 feet and the Griffins lead had ballooned to a 20 point 47-27 lead. The Grifs were led by Jay’s 8, Kel’s 14 and Scotty’s 10. Special mention to

The Third Quarter was much the same. Jay dropped 8 in the quarter, Chris dropped in 5 and TJ got on the scoreboard with 4. The Grifs took the quarter 21-12 and the lead was getting to a silly 30 points.

The Grifs continued to turn the screws in the Fourth Quarter, blowing the game right out and giving themselves a massive percentage boost. Jay was into straight Termintor mode, dropping 10 in the quarter (that’s an 18-point second half), Kel got cheeky and was floating in spinning runners and hooks, and Wens got a jumper and a layup to go. The Griffins took the quarter 25-17, and the match 93-56.

FINAL SCORE: AUBC Griffins 2 def Norwood 2 93-56 (Jay 26, Kel 23, Scotty 14, Chris 11, TJ 8, Toby 7, Wens 4)

The Grifs went 4/7 from the free throw line (57%) and hit three 3s.

In the second match of the double header, the Grifs, flying high off the momentum gained from the Norwood match, were set to take on a rejuvinated Western Magic squad. Squaring off in a quiet Hillcrest stadium, the Grifs were rocking and landing thundering blows like Manny Pacquiao, looking to make it two wins from two starts.

The Grifs started cautiously, feeding the ball inside out for open looks to the Johnson boys and even better looks for the snipers on the perimeter. Toby was especially geared up, finishing in the congestion and leading the Grifs to an early lead. The Magic hit a half-court three at the buzzer to cut back into the margin, but the Grifs had momentum and the lead at the first break, 14-12.

The second quarter was a laugher. Kel dropped in a triple to open his account, Toby hit a freebie and a lay-in, Chris got on the break and Robbo was dropping in jumpers. TJ, sick of dishing to everyone else, went coast to coast twice for tough runners off glass and before the Magic could call a timeout or make a change, the Grifs were up by 20 and were knocking on the door of a blowout. The Grifs took the quarter 27-5, capped by a Toby Johnson buzzer-beating reverse layup, in a sound display of offensive ingenuity and defensive intensity. The Grifs led the Magic at the majoy break 41-17, paced by TJ’s 8, Chris’ 11, and Toby’s 10.

The Third Quarter was no let off for the Magic as the Griffins continued to pile on the pain. Jay, free from the defensive shackles of his opposing number, got his short-game working a treat dropping 7 points in the quarter. Meanwhile, Kel pulled on his TMac v SanAntonio cape and went to town, dropping 8 points in what seemed like 8 seconds, including a pair of triples and a steal-and-stuff. Wens hit a long jumper and the Grifs had extended their lead and closed out the quarter, taking it 22-9.

The Final Quarter was a formality, with the Grifs up 30 and the Magic’s top scorer on the bench in foul trouble. Scotty got long for some layups and jumpers, Kel dropped a running scoop and Jay hit two more and the Grifs cruised to victory. The Grifs took the last quarter 14-12 and the game 77-38.

Final Score: AUBC Griffins 2 def Western Magic 77-38 (Kel 15, Toby 14, Jay 13, Chris 11, TJ, Scotty 8, Wens 6, Robbo 2)

The Grifs went 6/12 at the stripe (50%) and hit 5 threes.

Great games all round, boys. That puts us 1/2 a game out of the playoffs in 5th spot behind Nth Red (they had a draw). I wish we didn’t drop some of those easy ones (Bearcats, Nth Red, Nth White) that could’ve guarenteed our playoff spot. Looks as though with three games left in the season, two against top 4 sides, we’ve got our work cut out to scrape into that 4th spot.

thanks for reading,

kel