Maurice Robinson and Lazerick Griffin

In 1992, one of the strongest classes of basketball players in state history graduated. Here’s a look at what happened to some of the top players from that class.

Maurice Robinson: The summer before his senior year, Robinson burst into national prominence by starring at the NIKE/ABCD camp. According to the Democrat-Gazette, the 6-7, 238-pound lived up to the billing as a senior, averaging 14.7 points, eight rebounds and shooting 69% on field goals (a drop from his junior year).

He then turned his might toward Florida State, where he played two seasons. It’s interesting to note the differences between the Dem-Gaz and the 1992-93 Seminole press guide when it comes to Robinson’s stats:

Maurice Robinson, 6-6, 235, F, Little Rock, AR (Parkview) – Extremely strong inside player who can muscle in the paint with the big boys…aggressive with the ball on the baseline…uses strength to get shot off against taller defenders…coaches would like to see him develop his 10-12 foot jumper…excellent rebounder with ability to get the outlet pass to a guard quickly…style of play reminds many of Southern Mississippi’s Clarence Weatherspoon…comfortable in either a fast break or half-court offense…disciplined player who should adjust quickly to Florida State’s system…good defender who can move people around in the lane…powerful move to the bucket…averaged 18.5 points and 11.2 rebounds last year at Park View Magnet High in Little Rock…earned first team All-Arkansas honors after shooting 69 percent from the floor as a senior…also earned Little Rock All-City honors…Parkview High saw all five starters sign basketball scholarships to Division 1 schools: Dion Cross (Stanford), Kenneth Taylor (Murray State), Jamal Lindsey (Samford) and Derek Fisher (Samford)…Gibbon’s All-Star Sports ranked Robinson as the 33rd best high school recruit and reported that the signing of five players from one school was unprecedented for a non-boarding school…according to school officials, Robinson is the most heavily recruited basketball player in the history of Parkview…as a junior, Robinson connected on a school record 71 percent of his field goals…born November 25, 1973 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas…father (Maurice) played football at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff…roommate is Derrick Carroll.

Robinson started his career quickly, playing starter’s minutes, but by the end of the ACC season was only getting spare minutes. After his sophomore year, he transferred to Oklahoma State. In 1995-96, he averaged 9.1 points and 3.2 rebounds a game for Eddie Sutton’s team. And that spectacular touch from on field goals? Still there, to the tune of 58%.

Robinson next surfaces on my googledar as part of a London-based traveling team, helping sharpen the 2000-01 Razorbacks. His London Leopards weren’t too shabby either; they beat Virginia and Bucknell that preseason.

In June, 2004, he was in Little Rock trying out for the Arkansas Rimrockers, an American Basketball Association expansion franchise.

Lazerick Griffin: The hub around which Eudora’s spectacular 1991-92 season rotated, the 6-5, 205-pound forward averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds per game for the Class AA state champion Badgers. The south Arkansas school suffered only one in-state loss – to Parkview in the Overall final (yes, different class champions played each other back then – a blessedly just way of sorting out who’s really top dog).

Griffin started the next season for the defending Sun Belt champs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. He averaged 5.8 points.

Ol Grif’s online paper trail gets increasingly spotty from here. It appears he might have
transferred to Indiana State, where he played 31 minutes against Creighton in 1996.

Nowadays? Based on the high school photo I’ve seen of Big Grif, and the fact this Facebook profile for Lazerick Griffin has friended Eudora the town, there’s a fairly strong chance he’s calling Dallas home.

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