Syracuse, N.Y. -- Allen Griffin grew up in Brooklyn. As a kid, Griffin watched as Pearl Washington, another Brooklyn native, returned to New York City as the point guard for the Syracuse University basketball team.
Washington dazzled the Garden crowds and turned the World's Most Famous Arena into Syracuse's homecourt.
Griffin wound up going to Syracuse and played at Madison Square Garden 14 times over the course of his college career. This Thursday, Griffin, now an assistant at Syracuse, will be back at the Garden as the 15th-ranked Orange takes on former Big East rival Connecticut in the 2K Empire Sports Classic.