ALBANY, N.Y. — LaDarien Griffin walked out of the locker room with a big smile on his face.
It was easy to understand why.
The junior forward had just played the best game of his career, setting new career highs in points (18), rebounds (11) and assists (4), capping his performance with one of his trademark right-handed highlight reel dunks.
Griffin was one of a handful of Bonnies who stood out in the team’s 75-55 victory over Siena Wednesday night inside the Times Union Center. He played so well, he was able to start his interview with a joke.
“(It means) I’ve got a lot more to accomplish in my career,” he said, when told he’d just set three new personal bests.
Six games in, no member of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team has made bigger strides from last season than Griffin.
The Jacksonville native has accounted for 31 points and 16 rebounds over his last two games. An offensive liability early in his career, he’s reached double figures in four of six contests and has accumulated the second most points on the team (65). His double-double against the Saints was the second of his career.
Griffin saw an opportunity when the starting power forward position opened up with Denzel Gregg’s graduation, and so far, he’s seized it. He attributes his impressive start to his work in the offseason.
“All the hard work during the summer and throughout the season,” he said. “Just sticking with it even when I’m missing shots. I haven’t hit a 3 yet, but other than that … it’s all the work put in over the summer, and now we’re starting to see the results.”
Idris Taqqee broke out of an early slump, scoring a season-high 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting, while Amadi Ikpeze doubled his season-best with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting. But it was Griffin who continued to stand out.
A hesitant shooter before, the 6-foot-6 forward has developed a dependable jump shot, which he worked on with his father over the summer. He continues to wow crowds with his big dunks and blocks, and he’s playing with more confidence.
It’s early, but the season has so far paid dividends for the Bonnies’ starting ‘4’. He expected that.
“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “You just go out and play and just show what you’ve been working on. My teammates put me in great positions to score, and I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do — rebound, knock down open shots, just be a defensive anchor out there.
“I’m off to a good start out there right now. I’ve just got to keep it going.”
— Bona point guard Jaylen Adams, who missed his sixth-straight game with an ankle injury, participated in the Bonnies’ Tuesday walk through, and according to one source, went “pretty hard.” The 6-foot-2 point guard also shot around with teammates during warmups, did some jogging along the sideline and seemed to be moving pretty well.
Adams didn’t dress for the Siena game, but he seems that much closer to returning.
— With Wednesday’s win, Bona now leads the Franciscan Cup series, 5-3. In a series that had an average deficit of just five points coming in, the Bonnies’ 20-point victory was the largest since the Cup was established in 2010 and only the second time any game was won by more than seven points (Bona’s 58-43 win in 2012 the other).
Bona snapped a two-game losing streak in the Times Union Center, picking its up first win there since November of 2011. Coach Mark Schmidt’s team improved to 16-6 vs. MAAC opponents since 2011-12.
— After a breakout weekend in Florida, freshman Izaiah Brockington cooled in the Bonnies’ first true road game of the year, scoring two points on 1-for-6 shooting.
There was a Tshiefu Ngalakulondi sighting in the first half. The freshman forward, who logged no minutes in the Emerald Coast Classic following his 21-point performance vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore, played just two minutes Wednesday, logging a block, a rebound and steal.
— Bona scored 75 points despite finishing an uncharacteristic 17-of-30 (57 percent) from the free throw line. Junior Courtney Stockard finished a mere 3-of-9 from the stripe (and went just 1-for-4 from the field). The Bonnies, who led the league in FT shooting last year, came into Wednesday shooting an impressive 74 percent.
— Senior guard Matt Mobley came into Wednesday’s game ranked No. 32 nationally in scoring at 21.8 points per game. After being held in check in Florida, he had a typical “Mobley” game, reaching his average (22 points), making 4-of-8 from deep and adding eight rebounds in playing all 40 minutes.