This game took place place in 2019. Archbishop Stepinac, AJ Griffin’s high school team, was taking on Cardinal Hayes in the CHSAA ‘AA’ semifinal.
Griffin was being defended by League MVP and future Iowa commit Joe Toussaint. While Toussaint is a very good player, he stood no chance against Griffin in this contest.
AJ Griffin was a perfect 4/4 from beyond the arc in this game, converting his attempts with ease from jaw-dropping distance. The first two made threes show Griffin utilizing two dribbles or less before letting it fly from way downtown.
He then shows the ability to dribble the ball the length of the floor before effortlessly releasing the three point attempt. The final made three in this clip is arguably the most impressive of the bunch. Griffin displayed an incredible array difficult shot making from deep in this game. He showed that he has supreme confidence in his three point shooting ability and for good reason. He can knock it down from just about anywhere.
Of course, Griffin can do so much more than shoot the ball from three. He is very adept at getting to the spot he wants in the mid range and that skill was on full display in this game as well. He showcased a feathery soft touch from the mid range, converting shots from several different types of angles.
Whether it was a catch and shoot situation or a shot off the dribble, Griffin was unstoppable. He also showed an ability to punish a smaller defender. Even as a Freshman, Griffin will have the size advantage on many of his opponents at Duke. Griffin has shown an ability to make the defense pay with a smaller defender on him, and more of the same will likely happen when he puts on a Duke jersey.
Griffin flashed his incredible athletic ability on this play. After an erratic pass left Toussaint with a clear lane to the hoop, Griffin made up ground and finished the play with a blocked shot. Every game, Griffin makes athletic plays that jump of the screen. This chase down block is another example of that.
Griffin’s combination of skill and athleticism is going make him a force at the next level. Duke is getting a highly talented player who is sure to make an instant impact for the Blue Devils next season.