If any element was missing from last season’s Virginia State University basketball success, it was a dominant, under-the-basket post player.

Richard Granberry has filled that vacancy with muscular authority and a two-year lease.

“I like to crash the glass; I like to bang,” said the broad-shouldered, 6-foot-8, 230-pound transfer from Neosho County Community College in Kansas.

Granberry has made a smooth — albeit bullish – transition from junior college to NCAA Division II competition. Heading into the winter exam break, Granberry was leading the defending CIAA champion Trojans in scoring (14.1 points per game) and rebounding (7.6 per game) while hitting 61 percent from the floor. He had 15 points and 15 rebounds in VSU’s victory Monday over Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C.

In his first outing at VSU’s sparkling Multi-Purpose Center, the junior majoring in sports management snagged 17 rebounds in an overtime exhibition win over Norfolk State University.

His sweet spot is always setting up in the shadows of the backboards. He reminds longtime Trojans fans of such former VSU power post players as Linwood Johnson, Julius Norman and Leonard Harris, the school’s top three all-time rebounders.

“Richard is a true post player. He likes to play with his back to the basket,” said VSU Coach Lonnie Blow Jr.

“He enjoys being on the post. He knows how to play the post. And he has an uncanny knack for positioning.”

Joining Elijah Moore, an All-CIAA senior who is a comfortable on the perimeter as in the paint, Granberry gives VSU the second of two 6-foot-8 starters. Moore has averaged 10 points and 7.0 rebounds during VSU’s 6-2 start, with 17 of his 53 attempts from beyond the arc.

Granberry has a track record of pounding the boards — and winning — dating to Chester High School in Pennsylvania, just south of Philadelphia. The high school team went 31-0 his junior season, winning Pennsylvania’s 4A State title. His teammates included Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, now with the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets.

As a senior, Granberry helped Chester High to a 28-4 record.

“I think we only lost five games, JV and varsity combined, my whole high school career,” said Granberry.

The good fortune continued at Neosho. Advancing to the second round of the Junior College Nationals in Hutchinson, Kan., Neosho went 30-6, setting the school standard for victories.

Here’s where VSU caught a break.

First of all, Coach Blow was familiar with the Neosho coaching staff from previous recruitments. Also, Granberry was ineligible for Division I because he had not graduated from Neosho, largely because of missing time because of illness as a freshman.

To be eligible for Division II, an athlete does not need to graduate, but must accumulate at least 12 hours per semester.

“I had a great visit to Virginia State,” said Granberry. “It felt good and I hit it off with the coaching staff. After I visited VSU, I stopped answering my phone.”

Growing up in Chester, Pa., Granberry was always among the tallest boys in his class, yet he never played basketball until high school.

“It wasn’t like I was doing anything else,” he said. “It was just a situation where I never got signed up.”

Provided an opportunity, he became a quick learner after joining one of Pennsylvania’s premier public schools programs.

“Until I went out for basketball, I was missing classes, failing grades,” he said. “Once I began playing, I started hanging out with different people, doing better in school. It turned me around.” 

Following in his positive footsteps is younger brother Da’Quan Granberry, a sophomore star at Chichester High, a nearby rival of Chester.

“Da’Quan is different from me. He’s about 6-3 — likes to play all over the court,” said Granberry.

“I just like to bang,” the VSU junior added, with a good-natured smile.