Hall is also a well-rounded player who does many things well but did mind being McCarthy’s wing man.  Hall is terrific athlete who runs the floor well and can throw it down from with the best of them.  Hall can score from anywhere but is best at getting to the hoop and drawing some harm and then finishing at the line. Hall was the most consistent offensive performer even in his first year for the Griffs who like McCarthy has no weaknesses to his game.  He may be the best defensive player on the team and is great at playing the passing lanes and getting steals and finishing with flair on the other end. At 6’5 195 this kid can defend and run the court with anyone but he does need to improve his long-range shooting.  Hall played often at the three in his first year but is better suited as the two guard next to McCarthy and Curran has decided to go the JV and transfer route to get some athletes on the wing and some more size up front.  Curran had many options in support of Hall and McCarthy in the backcourt but this duo were the two that made the whole show go.     

Seniors Andy Anderson and John Morrison were effective in their roles for the Griffs on the wings.  Anderson is a good long distance shooter who gives the big boys room and began last year as a starter before Hall took over.  One of the weaknesses this team has is outside shooting with Anderson being by far the best on the team though like McCarthy both are more volume shooters shooters than high percentage guys.  Anderson is such a terrific shooter that he may get a shot at the next level but first he wants to get the Golden Griffins back to the dance.  Morrison who teamed with Anderson as the aptly named ‘Gold Dust Twins’ on the wings.  The fans of Buffalo love these with this duo firing away off great passes from the legendary McCarthy.  Fellow Seniors Al Masino and Pat Turtle have taken turns backing up McCarthy for three years but will be challenged this year by some younger, more athletic kids.  Turtle is a terrific defender who has a role on this team but does not bring much offensively to the table.  Sophomore Robert Turner or ‘Slip’ as he is known is a good scorer who will push for more minutes after a year of seasoning on the JV.  His sidekick on the JV could be the answer to this team’s shooting woes.  Sophomore Brian Smith from Philly barely played the first half of last year but came on to shoot over .500% for the year from behind the arc.  He does not have a huge sample size but this 6’3 kid will get his ‘shot’ this year. 

The front court for the Griffs has the same kind of depth and roles though nowhere near the talent and are vertically challenged.  Seniors Bill O’Connor and Hank Nowak started the season as the starters but soon became part of a platoon.  Neither is very big but get by on smarts and toughness.  Nowak is a warrior and a true leader who is a solid rebounder even if he only six three.  ‘Hammerin Hank’ (with apologies to Mr. Aaron) is as clutch as it gets and was voted team captain (with McCarthy) by his peers and is not shy about pounding the glass and banging with the big boy.  He is not all brawn though as this kid has a bright future as he knows how to use his mind as he showed throughout his career in Buffalo getting by as a six three power forward.  Nowak might not be what you call pro material but he is a fighter and loves Buffalo and will somehow figure out a way to help his beloved hometown in the future.  O’Connor is a good offensive weapon who plays inside and out.  He may not be Fogle on the offensive end but he does get the job done.  O’Connor is the same height as Fogle at six five and has a similar game who like Nowak makes his living drawing contact and going to the line.  O’Connor truly is a beast on the blocks and loves the contact but can also hit a mid-range jumper.  These guys are studs and had great careers but as smart and as tough as they are did not have the size to match up with the big guys of the MEAAC.  Curran has made it his goal in life to replace his Seniors with a new breed of younger, bigger post players.  Easier said than done.  

The depth up front is like those two, way too small.  Seniors Herm Hedderick, Tom Chester, Frank Swiatek and LeRoy Chollet are just not big enough as the only one of these cats over 6’4 is Hedderick and he is more of a board guy and not a rim protector.  Junior Michael Macaluso can bang inside too but is only 6’5.  Fellow junior Gary Lawrence is 6’9 but has not made it on varsity yet though he was solid on the JV until he went down with a knee injury midway through the year.  Sophomore Mike Smrek (another Canadian) barely played as a freshman (basically was the last guy on the bench) but has that one thing you cannot teach.  Size!  Smrek is a true seven footer who has bulk as well at 250.  He is still developing (he is the very definition of a project) but only takes good shots and is learning how to use his size.  He can block a shot and is learning how to use that massive body for boards and to set screens.  He was huge down the stretch on the JV and has a chance to be really special.  He may have the most potential of anyone on the roster.  

The cold winters in Buffalo are made a little more bearable for the basketball crazed fans of Golden Griffins of Canisius College. The Griffs did win 17 games last year and they do have a solid nucleus coming back including a great pair of hometown guards who the fans obviously love.  Size is something this program has never had and Curran has recruited as much as he can find even if they are raw boned projects.  The Golden Griffins are notorious for making nice runs in the post season but they need to survive their cold winters in Buffalo.