Andover Basketballer Eclipses Milestone

Andover’s Sequoia Turcotte Briggs, a basketball star at Classical Magnet School in Hartford, scored her 1,000th career point earlier this month. Turcotte Briggs is pictured with her mother, Heather Turcotte, and father, Brian Briggs.  

Andover resident Sequoia Turcotte Briggs, a junior at Classical Magnet High School, joined an elite group on the hardwood by scoring her 1,000th career point on Feb. 8  
 
Turcotte Briggs surpassed the four-digit mark by draining a three-point shot at the top of the arc with seven seconds left in the second quarter. She finished the game with 20 points and 11 assists as the Classical defeated Prince Tech 60-43, earning their 12th win of the season.

“It was really cool, but it was a little embarrassing because once it happened we stopped the game instantly to do all the celebration stuff,” recalled Turcotte Briggs. “We had our whole fan section there because it was our Senior Night, so everyone was super pumped.”

Turcotte Briggs, who first started playing basketball at the age of four, has made an impact on the high school courts from day one.

She earned all-conference recognition as both a freshman and sophomore, and is well on her way to earning that honor again this year. She has also been a team captain since her first high school season, showcasing an early ability to both play and lead. 

Classical head coach Catherine Bernoski said that Turcotte Briggs is the total package on both ends of the court and is much more than a scorer, saying she has “anchored the team” thanks to her supreme court vision after moving from shooting guard to point guard this winter. 

“Sequoia’s energy dictates everyone else’s on our team,” added Bernoski. “Having a high basketball IQ, Sequoia is able to garner many steals by anticipating her opponents’ moves and potential passes.”

Heading into the record-breaking game, Turcotte Briggs needed nine points and said she was pretty relaxed until the game first tipped. 

“It was a little nerve-wracking because everyone was filming my every move, but once I hit [the shot] it was kind of relieving,” stated Turcotte Briggs, who added that members of the boy’s team offered advice prior to the game. “[They] were joking that I better not get it a cheesy layup and they were trying to get me to shoot a half-court shot or something, so to get it on a three-pointer was pretty cool.” 

Hitting the record-breaking triple on the team’s home court during Senior Night gave the entire evening more meaning.

Turcotte Briggs’ co-captain, Jasmine Charlery was one of three seniors honored on the night.  

“I am glad that she was able to reach the 1,000 point mark at home in front of family and friends who came out to support her,” said Bernoski. “Many of her points that night were beautiful drives to the basket in traffic with strong finishes, which all the fans loved to see.”

Earlier this year, Turcotte Briggs also scored a career-high in points in one game, netting 36 in a home victory over Enfield’s Comp Sci on Jan. 17. 

With each passing year her role as both a player and a leader has expanded, which she has embraced. 

“I have always had that leadership, role but this year I’ve been able to have a lot more fun because all my teammates are older too,” added Turcotte Briggs. “We’ve all grown together and we all know how each other play.”

Along with the individual accolades, it has also been a successful year for the team, who won 14 of 20 games in the regular
season and now prepping for postseason play. The Gladiators are currently the third-ranked team in the Capitol Region
Athletic League (CRAL) conference and seventh-rank team in Class M.

Turcotte Briggs believes the team’s bond has gone a long way to their overall success.

​“We have a great way of just sticking together,” Turcotte Briggs stated. “The best thing for us is we’ve growing together since we are such a young team and now that we are older we are continuing to develop and have a super close knit bond, which is awesome.”