BY ROBERT ELLKIN | The Baruch College basketball team has a very good chance of going all the way and winning the regular season title in the City University of New York Athletic Conference, and the Bearcats also have a chance of posting an excellent record in the process.
In addition, they have a shot of entering the post-season circuit tournament as the top-seeded team, and if they win the playoff tournament, they get that automatic bid into the NCAA Division III post-season tourney.
In order to possibly pull off the incredible, they have to rely on a team effort, led by their standout player in Granville Gittens.
After nine conference games, the Bearcats (14-4) are undefeated in league competition, and along the way have put together two five-game winning streaks through their first 18 games.
Entering the Hunter contest, Gittens needed eight points to reach the 1,000 career point mark in a Baruch uniform. He hit on a layup from inside with about 5:40 minutes left in the first half and put the Bearcats in front, 29-19.
The senior went on to net 18 points and grab six rebounds in 21 minutes in a runaway victory for Baruch, thus dropping Hunter to 6-12 over all and 3-7 in the league. Gittens became the 20th player at Baruch to score 1,000 or more points.
All eyes were focused on Gittens during the Hunter game at the ARC arena of Baruch College. He has all the moves and can do almost anything on the floor from the front-court position. If he continues at his present pace, and constantly improves, then he might attract the pro scouts, especially those from overseas. The 6-foot-6 forward/center would like to continue his basketball career in that direction, if possible.
A prolific scorer, Gittens poured in 25 against the College of Staten Island, in a CUNYAC game for his one-game high this season. However, as a junior, he scored 35 points against Wesleyan in a nonleague game.
Gittens possesses many strengths.
“If necessary I can push the ball up the court,” he said after the Hunter game. “I can handle the ball, create plays, like to attack the basket from the wing position, and can post up with my back to the basket.”
He also feels he can do almost anything on the court, including play the guard position, if needed, and provide good defense.
“I feel that I’m a good defender and can guard quick players from the perimeter,” he said.
“I want to be a player first and then a coach afterward,” he said. “There are a lot of opportunities to play overseas.”
At a young age he began playing baseball, and by age eight, basketball. He was introduced to the sport by his father, who has since passed away. He played in various leagues during the off-season to improve his game.
At one time during his high school days, he was a regular at “The Cage,” playing in the schoolboy division of the W. Fourth St. League.
“This league is a classic,” he noted. “The West Fourth St. League attracts the passerbys. They enjoy watching the games, and the players usually put on shows. It’s a great place to play, but very small.”
Gittens also follows the competition in the NBA, especially the upcoming All-Star Game.
“There will be a lot of commotion in the game,” he said. “I’ll see it on television. It would be nice to check it out, but a ticket will be very expensive.”
He has named player of the week twice this season, as chosen by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association for Division II/III.
After Gittens graduates Baruch in June, he would like to further his career in communications and psychology.
