Emory Student, Decatur Native Brings Intensity to Court and Classroom

His role on the basketball team may change, but his intensity never wavers.

Whether in practice, during a game, or on the sidelines, Corey Spraggins is all about playing hard and getting a job done.

The  graduate is a key reserve on this year’s Emory team and provides some crucial minutes each game for the Eagles. He’s no longer the focus of the team’s offense, as he was many times in high school. But Spraggins has accepted his role and is determined to help the team succeed.

“It’s a hard transition to make, said Spraggins. "It isn’t easy, but I understand what my role is. I met with the coach, my teammates, the captains. We’re all in this together. It’s not about myself, it’s about the team.”

Spraggins, a 6-foot-5 junior, averages 3.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in nearly 15 minutes per game. The Eagles have won most of their games, with Spraggins serving an important role off the bench. He’s proud of his versatility and ability to accomplish whatever job is needed.

“I usually adapt to the situation,” Spraggins said. “I provide energy and a defensive mentality. In high school my job was to make big shots and initiate the offense. Here it’s a matter of coming in and being ready to play. I’m very accepting of my role. It’s all about winning.”

He started 24 of 25 games as a sophomore and averaged 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per game. He scored a career-high 19 points and 10 rebounds against Huntingdon. He started 10 of 25 games as a freshman and averaged 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 18.1 minutes.

He completed a successful four-year career at Decatur High School by serving as captain his senior year. He averaged 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists his final season and was named first-team all-region.

Spraggins originally didn’t think about playing basketball at Emory. But coach Jason Zimmerman recruited the kid from the nearby neighborhood and Spraggins said he “fell in love with the school and the program” after the recruiting process began. He was aware of the academic demands at Emory, but has met those with the same head-on approach that he uses to play basketball.

“It’s a challenge in every aspect,” he said. “Mentally and physically, you have to be very organized because here you’re surrounded by people who are all very talented and want to stand out.”

Spraggins is enrolled in Emory’s business school as a marketing major on a consulting track. He recently was able to complete an internship with a basketball apparel company. He was able to see how the inside of the company functions and how decisions were made. He got to spend time with the company’s chief executive and marketing director and came away with a wealth of real-world experience.

“I learned a bunch from that experience,” Spraggins said. “Marketing is very theory based, but you have to make a lot of hard decisions. I learned there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it and you better know the reasons why you make a decision. That’s different that in class, where you may be taught, ‘These are the six steps to take.’ The CEO told me you can have the best plan in the world, but it’s only as good as the spread sheet behind it.”

And as much as Spraggins enjoys his marketing studies, his emphasis now is on helping Emory get to the next level. The Eagles are receiving national consideration, but have yet to crack the NCAA Division III Top 25.

“Our goal is just to win the next game,” Spraggins said. “Our goal is to get better and win the next game. And I’m going to bring it in practice, but like I’ve always brought it, to help us get better.”

The Eagles are on the road this weekend and will play their final home game of the season next Saturday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m. against Rochester at the .