By Paul Casey Gotham
One couldn’t blame fans of the Canisius College Golden Griffins if they did a double-take Friday night. After all, denizens of the Koessler Athletic Center have grown accustomed to the flowing locks of jet-black hair on the team’s point guard. But as the sold-out crowd filed into the KAC for the tilt with cross-town rival Niagara, they saw something new.
A friendly bet gone bad, or good depending upon one’s perspective, left Gaby Belardo with a more aerodynamic appearance.
Judging by the results, Belardo’s fade might be part of a turning point in the Griffs’ season.
The Griffs don’t have a bowling team, and even if the Jesuit school did, Belardo wouldn’t be on it. His recent struggles on the lanes required the red-shirt sophomore to part ways with his rock-star appearance.
During the recent semester break, Belardo proved that the Pro Bowlers tour is not in his in future when he and a few Griffin teammates traded the hardwood for a bowling alley.
Belardo opened the soiree with a modest 144 game.
When the native of San Juan, Puerto Rico followed with a 130, his teammates Julius Coles, Elton Frazier, Eric Kindler and Tomas Vazquez-Simmons couldn’t resist the temptation to chide their friend.
Instead of improving, Belardo was getting worse.
One thing led to another, as it can so often with teammates, and Belardo found himself three weeks later in the barber’s chair.
“I was like crying,” a smiling Belardo said. “There was hair everywhere.”
Belardo waited to debuted the new look.
“I wanted to wait for the ESPN game.”
The wager was simple: bowl at least 100 and get to drive a friend’s car for a week. Fail and meet with the clippers.
Belardo responded with an 83.
“Tell everybody I bowled a 90 or something,” Belardo said laughing.
Belardo counted on Greg Logins for a barber.
“I think he closed all his appointments for an hour.”
After Friday’s performance, fans of the Griffins might start a petition for Belardo to keep the high-and-tight look.
Belardo went from towel-waving a year ago to catalyst on the floor as the Griffs defeated the Niagara Purple Eagles 69-54. He led the Griffs with a career-high seven assists to go with 11 points, two steals and pair of rebounds with just one turnover.
The transfer from South Florida has 26 assists in the last six games with just nine turnovers.
“I feel great,” Belardo commented after the Griffs win in the 166th meeting between the two schools separated by the Grand Island Bridge. “We can’t think about the crowd,” he continued when talking about the sold out crowd at the KAC. “But I wish every game was like that. Playing in a big rivalry was great.”
Belardo sat out last season waiting for his eligibility after transferring from the Big East school.
“I still remember him last year when he was waving that towel there in his civilian clothes,” Canisius Head Coach, Tom Parrotta mused about last season’s overtime win at KAC. “It’s good to see him out there making plays. That’s what it’s all about.”
Belardo has scored in double figures each of his last four games including a career-high 29-point output against Siena. He gets to take the new do on the road when Canisius travels to Connecticut for a match-up with first-place Fairfield on Monday night.
Canisius made national news when Frank Turner earned his master’s degree after four years of work at the Buffalo campus. Current seniors, Coles, Frazier, Robert Goldsberry, Logins and Vazquez-Simmons all completed their four-year degrees last spring. The five seniors are in line to get their master’s by the end of the next semester.
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