Gino Briglio’s pinpoint setting made the formula work for Gibbons’ boys’ volleyball
Cardinal Gibbons’ boys’ volleyball team spent the majority of the season ranked No. 1 in the state overall.
A big reason was the front line of the Chiefs, which was spearheaded by three major Division-I recruits in UCLA signees Thiago Zamprogno and David Decker and Penn State signee Caden Day.
But the often pinpoint setting of senior Gino Briglio is what made the formula work for the Chiefs on their way back to the state tournament.
It’s why Briglio is the Miami Herald’s Broward County boys’ volleyball Player of the Year.
Briglio, who has signed to play volleyball at Erskine
College in South Carolina, finished the season with 819 assists, 111 digs and 22 aces.
Although Gibbons fell short of its state championship goal, falling to eventual state champ Winter Park in the semifinals, Briglio’s ability to coordinate the Chiefs’ attack on the court with such a talented roster proved invaluable.
“We’ve got all these Division-I athletes, but if we didn’t have him, we wouldn’t have made it to state,” Cardinal Gibbons coach Mike Zarate said recently.
Briglio grew up playing volleyball in elementary school in the seventh grade. He had mainly taken a more defensive role as a libero until he transitioned to play setter a year and a half ago.
He quickly excelled at the position and became a key contributor for a Gibbons team perennially in the state championship mix.
“I had to for my school season and I kind of wasn’t too sure about it at first, and then I kind of just liked it a lot more and I started playing a lot,” Briglio said.
Briglio said the biggest challenge was adapting to making quick decisions on the court in the flow of play to create the best chances for his team’s attack.
“Just decision making, just choosing who I’m going to set,” Briglio said. “I can get guys 1 on 1 or even an open net all of the time and that makes it easy for the team.”
Being surrounded by some of the top hitters in the state was a change for Briglio from his experience playing on his travel team, which often had only one or two go-to hitters to set for.
“It makes it really fun because I can just really do whatever and they can put the ball away,” Briglio said. “I can trust everyone, and it makes it just really easy and fun . ... I can just do whatever I want.”
Briglio performed at a high level this season while dealing with adversity off the court.
Gibbons dedicated the remainder of its season to Briglio’s father, Sandy, who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer.
Briglio’s teammates made shirts and wore them late in the season in support of him and Briglio said at the state tournament that his father’s
health had improved recently.
“My team’s support means a lot because this is a family,” Briglio said at the state tournament.
“(My dad)’s been an inspiration for me out there.”