Briarcrest is a top private school with a strong basketball tradition, inspiring pride and admiration among sports fans and prospective students alike. The school is located at the dead end of Walnut Grove, on a remarkable college-type campus with top-notch athletic facilities. The Saints Basketball program, under the tutelage of veteran Head Coach John Harrington, boasts a fantastic resume: in his 23 years of coaching, three state championships, and six runner-ups, and has qualified for the state tournament postseason in 18 of his 23 years at the helm.
Briarcrest has a veteran team with three senior starters who have attended the school all three years, respectively. Saints came in at No. 3 in the MemphisHoopers.com
Preseason Top Ten Rankings for the 7th time in Hoopers history, with the school also embracing a rich football history.
Briarcrest features the No.1 player in the state, 24/7 nationally ranked #79 Senior forward Fred Smith: https://247sports.com/player/fred-smith-jr-46153561/. The 6’7 Memphis commit has a long wingspan over 7’0, a high basketball IQ, and is a dominant force offensively and on the boards, making him a mismatch for most opponents.
5’10 junior Greg Spight is a solid facilitator who very seldom turns the ball over with assists on top. Spight is an elite shooter from all over the court, especially with the fifteen-foot range at his best. 6’0 senior guard Andrew Strorey is a great shooter who shoots over 50% from the floor and creates comfortable spacing in half-court sets with his reliable outside shooting. Nashville’s ‘Good Pasture school’ transferred 6’6 Josh Huggins, who actually plays the guard position with good length, shoots the basketball well, and is a tenacious defensive player.
6’5 junior Sam Dobbs will garner significant playing time, who Coach Harrington calls a hard worker, team player, and can also play all five positions at any time when needed. 6’4 senior Quinn Wright will see the floor extensively as a role player in strong fashion. Juniors Jay Donaldson and Jayden Warren will come off the bench and contribute immediately. Warren is also a soccer player with a lot of offensive upside as a multi-sport athlete.
Briarcrest Saints always have a modest basketball schedule outside district play against CBHS and MUS. They start off the 2026 basketball season with Hall of Fame games against Ridgeway on Nov. 18, Overton on Nov. 20, and Kirby on Nov. 21, and a Dec. 2 game against Collierville. Saints participate in 901 Hoops, playing Chicago Prep and Duncanville, Texas. During the Christmas break, they travel to Nashville, Tennessee, for the Battle of Nashville, December 29-31. First week of January, they play in the local Hoops Fest, followed by Mustang Madness in Paducah, Kentucky. They finish their schedule with an MLK Classic matchup against Digital Pioneer Prep from Washington, DC. Fans and community members will feel eager and excited to follow these notable games and tournaments.
