Chaz Briggs
December 17, 2002 10:52 AM | General
By Adam Zundell
Mountaineer
Illustrated
Chaz Briggs is a late-bloomer. The 6-7, 220-pound senior didn’t even start playing for his high school team until he sprouted six inches prior to his junior year. He didn’t make an impact until his senior season when he averaged a double-double. His decision to come to West Virginia after spending two years at Wabash Valley Junior College was last-minute. Last season, his first as a Mountaineer, he came on strong during the last portion of the season scoring double figures in nine of WVU’s last 12 games. For West Virginia fans, it’s better Briggs than never.
In his six seasons of organized basketball, Briggs has already had five coaches. The constant flux has not allowed him the luxury of getting comfortable in any system. He is continuing to grasp Coach Beilein’s motion offense, perhaps as complex as Steve Spurrier’s offensive schemes are on the football field, which will likely give him a late-season spike in statistics. He gives the Mountaineers much-needed size and ability, which making it tough to keep him off the floor.
"I’m learning a lot not because of my lack of years of playing, but because I’ve had so many different coaches," Briggs says. "Each coach has his own philosophy of how the game is played and learning so many different systems, every year I’m changing systems and I’ve not had a chance to be comfortable.
"I’m still picking up Coach Beilein’s system," Briggs says. "There are a lot of different plays and a lot of different options for each play. Last year I was playing two or three positions and we had two options for each play and it was pretty simple, but this year I’m just playing one position and learning this offense is harder than that."
But with all of Briggs’ travails comes experience and knowledge. His first season at Wabash had a collection of highly talented players that couldn’t seem to get things together on the court to be successful. Briggs endured almost a carbon copy of that season last year in Morgantown and is determined to get the guys together to be successful this season. He also knows what it is like to earn prestigious victories and knows that beating Florida earlier this season does not guarantee a thing.
"We beat Tennessee and we felt like we were at the top and like we were just going to win every game," Briggs says. "I’m just trying to keep our guys level-headed and make sure we are not too cocky and over-confident. We need to make sure we prepare the same way for every game. No one’s going to lay down for us because we beat Florida. Basketball is played on the floor, not on paper."
Although not normally a vocal guy, Briggs senses he needs to step up with this team and be a voice in the locker room.
"I think I’m going to be more vocal than just going out and having people follow me. We have a lot of young players coming straight from high school and I think I can maybe help them get used to college basketball quicker."
Briggs also leads by example. At a wiry 200 pounds last year, Briggs hit the weights in the offseason to help him bang around in the low post. Even though he was effective weighing 200, his philosophy was: the more weight the better. The 20 pounds of muscle, most evident in his arms and shoulders, are evidence of his effort to be in shape for the season. Although the muscle helps, Briggs believes that when it comes to grabbing rebounds, the extra effort makes the difference.
"The secret is reading the rim and out-thinking your opponent and trying to out-tough them," he says. "The ball bounces a lot of different ways and I think if you can read the rim you can get a lot of rebounds."
Getting a read on Briggs may even be more difficult than reading the spin on a three-pointer from the corner. He deals with problems internally, choosing to take action rather than sulk or whine. His quietness is shyness construed as angry and aloof, but if given the slightest chance, Briggs can flash a smile from Morgantown to Los Angeles. The Rochester, N.Y., native finds his strength and support from his mother, Denise, who raised Chaz and his three brothers and one sister by herself. She doesn’t direct him; she simply backs him 100% in all of his decisions.
"She’s the type of person, if it makes me happy, then she doesn’t have a problem," Briggs adds. "If it gets to the point that I’m not happy, then she wouldn’t want me to play and neither would I."
Briggs is still happy playing in Morgantown and as demonstrated time after time, when he gets comfortable, opponents get uncomfortable. Briggs is able to get shots either on the low block or in the paint and has a great nose for rebounds. He’s also able to change the momentum of the game with one of his highlight-reel dunks (just ask Florida’s Adrian Moss). As for Briggs blooming this season, it’s just a matter of time.
