Briggs leads Southern Virginia to USCAA national championship
By SVU Sports Information
Published in Sports on June 26, 2011 1:50 AM
SVU Sports Information
BUENA VISTA, Va. -- Spenser Briggs has not one national championship ring, but two and plenty of stories to regale his future grandchildren.
Briggs helped lead Southern Virginia University to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball crown. The Knights defeated Ave Maria, 83-67, in the finals in early March.
A native of Goldsboro, Briggs received USCAA All-American, USCAA Academic All-American and USCAA All-Tournament accolades. He was just named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors All-State Team (College Division).
Briggs is just the third scholar-athlete in Southern Virginia men's basketball history to earn VaSID All-State honors, and the first to do so in his junior season. Just two other SVU players have garnered that recognition -- brothers Chris and Bryce Pendleton, who remain involved with the Knights' basketball program as coaches.
A guard who transferred to SVU from Barton College, Briggs served a two-year mission with The Church of Latter-day Saints in the Czech Republic Prague Mission. He spent time as a zone leader and assistant to the president.
Briggs was in danger of losing his basketball scholarship.
But he filed his mission papers and eventually returned in the summer of 2010. Briggs thought about moving to Utah to expand his education experience in a Latter-day Saint atmosphere, but became interested in Southern Virginia. His older brother Elliot graduated from the school.
Behind Briggs' potent offense and lock-down defense, Southern Virginia experienced its most-successful season on the basketball court. The Knights established program records for wins (24), consecutive victories (8), winning percentage (.750) and home-court dominance (8-0).
Meanwhile, the 6-foot-2 Briggs emerged the Knights' leader in nearly every statistical category imaginable. He averaged 16 points a game, scored 481 points for the season, converted 156 field goals and hit 67 shots from behind the 3-point line.
The Wayne Country Day alum dished out 84 assists and picked the opponents for 61 steals. He finished second on the team in total rebounds (172) and rebounds per game (5.7).