Less than a year after it appeared his collegiate basketball career could be over after an injury at Cal State East Bay, Chico State senior center Justin Briggs recorded his first double-double of the season in the Wildcats' 69-54 win against Holy Names in Saturday night's 2019–20 home opener at Acker Gym.
Briggs finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal for the Wildcats, while helping to anchor a defense that held the Hawks to just 34 percent shooting. On the heels of his effort, Briggs bagged Wildcat of the Week honors.
The West Sacramento and River City High School product hit 5-of-8 shots and is now shooting 71 percent through the first three games of the season while also averaging 16.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game.
With his final rebound in the the Wildcats' second game of the season, against Azusa Pacific, Briggs became the 15th member of Chico State's 500-career rebound club.
He enters Thursday night's California Collegiate Athletic Association opener at home against Stanislaus State just 44 rebounds shy of moving into Chico State's all-time top 10, and 26 blocked shots shy of matching Jordan Semple's school record of 153. Briggs also ranks fifth in school history with a career field-goal percentage of .564.
