Golden Eagles’ hoopster Curstin Giffen excited to be a Bishop

Ohio Wesleyan getting a hard-working player

BELPRE -- To the people who know her, nobody is surprised to see Belpre senior Curstin Giffin commit to playing college basketball.

She's put in countless hours of work and taken countless shots in the gym. Actually, the shots are countable.

"We have a plaque (outside Belpre's gym) where you've got to make 20,000 shots by the time our season starts," explained Belpre head coach Chris Murray. "You get about a three-month window. She's done it all four years."

That's the kind of player the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops are getting in Giffin, who is having a strong senior campaign for the Golden Eagles. She said Ohio Wesleyan's campus and basketball program really stood out to her.

"I went on a few different college visits," she said. "One of my friends had went on a visit and looked at Ohio Wesleyan, and they talked about how nice it was. I went to the campus and it was really nice. It's Division III, so a smaller amount of kids, and it's more spaced out, not crammed together. When I was there the gym was still being redone. It's done now, and it's gorgeous inside. I talked to the head coach (Stacey Ungashick Lobdell) and she's super nice. I liked the way she talked about how they run stuff. I went to a practice and liked the energy. I knew that was where I wanted to be."

She's also had a chance to get to know some of her future teammates a little bit.

"We have a group chat of recruits," Giffin said. "They all seem like good kids."

The Battling Bishops went 14-13 last season and are off to a 2-0 start this year.

Listed at 5-foot-9, Giffin is averaging 13.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game this season. She's versatile and can play multiple positions.

"I think they're going to use me as a stretch four," Giffin said. "I can be inside, or I can come out and shoot the ball. If I need to dribble I can do that. I like it."

That selflessness is what Murray has come to expect from Giffin.

"Anything we've ever asked her to do, even when she's probably disagreed with it, she's always done it," he said. "I'm really happy for her to have that college opportunity."

Giffin has also played for the 740 Thunder, an AAU team, since fifth grade. Her mom, Beth, who is an assistant coach for Belpre, coaches the Thunder. One of her teammates on the Thunder is Karlee Ross, a senior at Fort Frye. According to Giffin, Ross also is headed to Ohio Wesleyan and the two are planning to room together.

Giffin credited the Belpre coaching staff for helping her become the player she is today.

"I really like coach Murray," she said. "He's a really good coach. He really helps you prepare.

"My mom is my AAU coach and the JV coach at Belpre. She's always coached me and helped me out. After games, we can talk everything out. Our other assistant coach is coach (Chris) Fennel. He's the positive, calming coach. If you come out of a game aggravated, he's there to calm you down and talk you through stuff. All of our coaches here are good."

Giffin's favorite memory as a Golden Eagle came last year when they defeated the Waterford Wildcats twice.

"It was the first time in 20 years Belpre had beaten them," she said. "Both games were pretty close. I remember I went 12 for 12 at the free throw line to help win one of them."

Giffin's commitment continues what's become a trend at Belpre, as Murray is getting used to watching his players go off to play at the college level.

"It's really cool," he said.

"She joins Sierra (Barker). Sierra played at OVU. Cheyenne (Barker) played at Marietta. Now Kyna (Waderker) is at Otterbein. We're blazing a bit of a trail of kids getting the opportunity to play in college."

Jordan Holland can be reached at jholland@mariettatimes.com.