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JUSTIN ANDERSON: DECISION FORTHCOMING? UPDATE ON ’12 FORWARD

by MATT WHITFIELD

By the time Justin Anderson reached 5th grade he and his father realized he had the potential to be a star in the sport of basketball. Now in his third year at basketball powerhouse Montrose Christian Academy, that potential looks to be coming to fruition as Anderson is one of the most sought after juniors in the country while playing for one of the elite programs in the nation.

After trying his hand at other sports at a young age, it became clear basketball was the sport to pursue.

“I played all of them in my back yard,” Anderson said of growing up playing multiple sports. “We took sticks and tried to hit rocks for our baseball game. We’d kick a basketball in the field for soccer. And we’d play basketball. We’d throw the football. So we played a lot of sports in the back yard, but my dad saw me dunk in my fifth grade summer and that’s when he noticed that ‘hey [he] could be pretty good if he put some time into this’. We put some time into this. And I feel as if that’s where [it] went from there. We never played any other sports. We were always in the gym just trying to get me better at basketball.“

For three years Anderson has comepeted with Stu Vetter’s Montrose Christian program and it has enabled him to play against some of the nation’s toughest competition annually in games as well as challenged him every day in practice. Anderson has already played against several players who have already reached the NBA.

“As a freshman coming into the game I can actually remember playing against Findley Prep, in the National Rise Tournament, as a freshman guard against Avery Bradley, who’s in ‘The League’. I just look at the TV and see him on Boston’s bench and I’m like ‘man, I guarded him my freshman year’.

Anderson’s role with Montrose has evolved since his freshman season, moving from a defensive stopper to a player counted on offensively to help the team win, which Montrose does at a stunningly efficient clip.

“My job that year was just to stop the best guy on every team,” said Anderson about his freshman season. “And when they were tired I was coming off the bench being the pest they didn’t want. I think that role has now developed to still being a defensive stopper… And now being a junior I think I’m a little more involved on the offensive side of the court as well, looking to get open.”

Anderson’s game has improved under the guidance of Vetter, who has produced some great players through the Montrose program such as Kevin Durant and Grevis Vasquez, to name just a few.

“I think [since my freshman year] my work ethic has improved tremendously. I feel like my decision making has improved tremendously. My offense game has improved tremendously. Defense has always been my first love, so it’s always been there because defense is all about effort. It’s not really about skill on defense. Not too many coaches can teach defense. It’s just will. How do you want to do it. I just want to make sure I stay low and challenge my offensive player and make sure I dictate where he goes.”

His coach definitely feels Anderson’s place nationally is among the elite in the country.

“Justin is, you know, one of the top juniors in the country,” said Vetter Friday night.

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