The Chico State men's basketball coaching staff has known for two years that 6-foot-9 center Justin Briggs has a lot of potential. This weekend, Briggs got his first opportunity to show everyone outside of the practice facility.
Briggs, redshirt freshman from West Sacramento, averaged 11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and three blocked shots per game as Chico State's first big man off the bench, as the Wildcats went 1-1 to open the season at the Concordia University Irvine Tournament.
Needless to say, Briggs' first shot at making a good impression was a success. Then again, all of our Wildcat of the Week's shot attempts were. Briggs hit all 11 of his shots and his only free throw.
No one else in Division II who has taken at least five shots per game and played in two has made every one.
Briggs was the difference-maker in the Wildcats' 65-61 win over Concordia in Friday's season opener, finishing with 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting, nine rebounds, and five blocked shots. His five blocks, all of which came during the Wildcats' 40–18 game-ending run, are the most by a Chico State player in the Clink era and just two shy of the program record.
Briggs blocked his fifth shot of the day with just 43 seconds left and the Wildcats nursing a 1-point lead. And with Chico State leading by two, his hustle for a loose-ball rebound, eventually knocked out of bounds by Concordia, helped seal the win.
Saturday, Briggs finished with 11 points, six boards, and a blocked shot in 23 minutes in a 59-58 loss to Biola. He gave the Wildcats a chance to win, twice scoring in the final two minutes to make it a one-possession game.
Briggs and the Wildcats are back in action Wednesday when they travel to face Dominican in a non-conference game in San Rafael. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
