Creston’s Briggs signs to play basketball at Graceland

CRESTON — Kaden Briggs, a senior at Creston Community High School, signed a National Letter of Intent Wednesday evening, before the school’s awards night, to play basketball next school year at Graceland University.

Briggs is the son of Elizabeth Bell and Janson Briggs and Brian Downing and Lacey Fowler.

Briggs said that Graceland felt good for him from an early point in the recruiting process.

“When I first met the coaches, it felt like family. They really wanted me, I felt welcomed, and it was a good atmosphere. I liked the campus down there when I went on my visit, and I’m just excited to get to work,” he said. “I’m just blessed, and I’d like to thank my parents, friends, coaches and the community here.”

Formerly involved in other sports, Briggs decided to focus solely on basketball part way through his high school career, and he felt like that decision paid off for him. Briggs averaged 8.5 points per game in his senior season and a team-best six rebounds per game with a team-best 108 boards on the year.

Briggs’ favorite high school basketball memory was beating Harlan Community his senior year, 64-55. Briggs had 13 points in that game and it was the first time during Briggs’ varsity career that the Panthers beat the Cyclones. The last time was in 2018.

“I was born in a basketball family, so that’s my main sport,” Briggs said. “Basketball is more than a game to our family, it’s more like a lifestyle. My whole family plays basketball, but I’m the first one to play collegiately. I’ve had really good parents and family members who were really good high school players, and I just kept with it.”

Sean Daniels is one of two assistant coaches that were on hand for Briggs’ signing. He said the coaching staff, which is brand new this spring, like what they see Briggs potentially bringing to their program.

“As a new staff, one of the things we’re putting on our priority list is recruiting in state. That’s what really got us, is his proximity to Lamoni. That really helps us because we really want to build our program, and that’s one of the better ways to do it,” Daniels said. “We want small town guys coming into our program and thrusting us into the local limelight.”

Daniels said the Yellowjackets want to pride themselves on playing sound defensively, and Briggs’ skills match that desire.

“For us, defense, rebounding, getting that thing in transition, and versatility, he has all of those things,” Daniels said. “That’s really where he fits in. Like most freshmen, he’ll have to go through the roller coaster at some point, but he’s going to have a great time, and he’s also a very, very nice kid. He comes from a good family and a good high school, so he’ll be good.”