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Let's continue with my countdown of my 30 favorite Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players of my fandom, spanning from the 1996-97 season until present day. Here are numbers 30-15.
- #30 Morez Johnson Jr.
- #29 Marcus Arnold.
- #28 Matthew Mayer.
- #27 Kevin Turner.
- #26 Mike Davis.
- #25 Trent Frazier.
- #24 D.J. Richardson.
- #23 Tyler Griffey.
- #22 Will Riley.
- #21 Dain Dainja.
- #20 Jack Ingram.
- #19 Marcus Domask.
- #18 Tomislav Ivisic.
- #17 Robert Archibald.
- #16 Brandon Paul.
- #15 Frankie Williams.
I am going to keep drilling into the Peoria, Illinois pipeline as Marcus Griffin is my 14th favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my 30-year fandom.
By the time I entered high school during the 1995-96 school year, Griffin was an All-American senior center for Peoria Manual. As I became a high school basketball fanatic, reading about Illinois prep hoops as much as possible in the Chicago newspapers, I remember hearing about Peoria Manual and its stud trio of Sergio McClain, Griffin and Frankie Williams. Sadly, I never got to see the Manual teams, which won four straight state championships, play in person.
Each March my buddy Rich would go downstate with his father to watch the Illinois state finals, giving me insight as to how good Peoria Manual was. During the semifinals that season, Manual would match up with undefeated Thornton Township, featuring Melvin Ely, Antwaan Randle-El and Napoleon Harris. A game of stars, Peoria Manuel would give Thornton its first loss of the season and then beat West Aurora for its fourth-straight title!
By the time I entered high school during the 1995-96 school year, Griffin was an All-American senior center for Peoria Manual. As I became a high school basketball fanatic, reading about Illinois prep hoops as much as possible in the Chicago newspapers, I remember hearing about Peoria Manual and its stud trio of Sergio McClain, Griffin and Frankie Williams. Sadly, I never got to see the Manual teams, which won four straight state championships, play in person.
Each March my buddy Rich would go downstate with his father to watch the Illinois state finals, giving me insight as to how good Peoria Manual was. During the semifinals that season, Manual would match up with undefeated Thornton Township, featuring Melvin Ely, Antwaan Randle-El and Napoleon Harris. A game of stars, Peoria Manuel would give Thornton its first loss of the season and then beat West Aurora for its fourth-straight title!
Following high school, McClain would be a key reserve on the 1997-98 Illinois team that won a share of the Big Ten title while Griffin would have to spend two seasons in junior college. I remember reading a Chicago Sun-Times article during this time, describing Griffin patiently biding his time to get to Illinois. I couldn't wait for the big man to arrive, though two seasons seemed like forever back then.
Griffin ultimately arrived in Champaign prior to the 1999-2000 season, coming in with his high school teammate, the redshirt freshman Williams, and recruits Brian Cook and Sean Harrington. The loaded Illini looked like a team that would be reckoned with, ultimately being a bit up and down that season and losing in the second round to Florida during the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
By Griffin's second and final season in Champaign, the seeds for a Final Four run were ready to germinate. Often overshadowed by Cory Bradford, Williams, Cook and others, Griffin was a 6'9'' beast down low, an efficient scorer who just knew how to play the game on both ends. During a memorable season that resulted in a #1 seed and Elite Eight appearance, Griffin especially stood out for his improbable game-winning layup against Wisconsin at the Assembly Hall. The day after, my aforementioned buddy Rich saw Griffin on campus and said "Nice shot, Marcus." Marcus fist-bumped Rich and said, "Thanks, man!" Personally, I especially enjoyed Griffin banging down low against Arizona three times that 2000-01 season, going toe to toe with the Wildcats' Loren Woods and Michael Wright.
Whether going to work on the block or doing the dirty work, Griffin was such a solid piece of an incredibly deep team, with a mile-wide smile and engaging personality that made him a fan favorite. Even with some troublesome knees, Griffin always seemed to me like he could play in the NBA. I remember one mock draft site projecting him as a late second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2001 NBA Draft, which I was excited to see. I also remember reading an interview where Griffin said that he was going to make the NBA because he promised his Mom he would do so.
Ultimately, Griffin never got to the NBA, though he remains a high school and college legend in Illinois. Perhaps on a different team, with a little more exposure, Marcus would have made it to the league. He certainly had the ability.
Yet as was the case with any team Griffin played on, he was a consummate teammate, an ultimate winner who would do whatever it takes to contribute to success. With Cook, Griffin formed as talented of a front-line duo that Illinois basketball has ever had.
While Griffin's two seasons in Champaign went fast, they were certainly memorable, building up to great things for the program. Nowadays, Griffin is an awesome contributor on the Illini Guys podcast, giving his insight about how Illinois must pound the ball inside.
Once a big man, always a big man, Big Griff was an old-school center whose teams were simply hard to beat when he was on the floor. I just wish Griffin could have gotten that 2001 Final Four to go with his four state titles. :-)
Griffin ultimately arrived in Champaign prior to the 1999-2000 season, coming in with his high school teammate, the redshirt freshman Williams, and recruits Brian Cook and Sean Harrington. The loaded Illini looked like a team that would be reckoned with, ultimately being a bit up and down that season and losing in the second round to Florida during the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
By Griffin's second and final season in Champaign, the seeds for a Final Four run were ready to germinate. Often overshadowed by Cory Bradford, Williams, Cook and others, Griffin was a 6'9'' beast down low, an efficient scorer who just knew how to play the game on both ends. During a memorable season that resulted in a #1 seed and Elite Eight appearance, Griffin especially stood out for his improbable game-winning layup against Wisconsin at the Assembly Hall. The day after, my aforementioned buddy Rich saw Griffin on campus and said "Nice shot, Marcus." Marcus fist-bumped Rich and said, "Thanks, man!" Personally, I especially enjoyed Griffin banging down low against Arizona three times that 2000-01 season, going toe to toe with the Wildcats' Loren Woods and Michael Wright.
Whether going to work on the block or doing the dirty work, Griffin was such a solid piece of an incredibly deep team, with a mile-wide smile and engaging personality that made him a fan favorite. Even with some troublesome knees, Griffin always seemed to me like he could play in the NBA. I remember one mock draft site projecting him as a late second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2001 NBA Draft, which I was excited to see. I also remember reading an interview where Griffin said that he was going to make the NBA because he promised his Mom he would do so.
Ultimately, Griffin never got to the NBA, though he remains a high school and college legend in Illinois. Perhaps on a different team, with a little more exposure, Marcus would have made it to the league. He certainly had the ability.
Yet as was the case with any team Griffin played on, he was a consummate teammate, an ultimate winner who would do whatever it takes to contribute to success. With Cook, Griffin formed as talented of a front-line duo that Illinois basketball has ever had.
While Griffin's two seasons in Champaign went fast, they were certainly memorable, building up to great things for the program. Nowadays, Griffin is an awesome contributor on the Illini Guys podcast, giving his insight about how Illinois must pound the ball inside.
Once a big man, always a big man, Big Griff was an old-school center whose teams were simply hard to beat when he was on the floor. I just wish Griffin could have gotten that 2001 Final Four to go with his four state titles. :-)
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