UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA - JUSTIN ANDERSON - ALL-MET ELITE

JUSTIN ANDERSON

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

 ALL-MET ELITE

 

MONTROSE CHRISTIAN HS.

ROCKVILLE MD.

 

Anderson’s rare blend of athleticism and self-awareness — a notable achievement, considering he was once hailed as the top eighth-grader in the country — has begun to surface in recent weeks, and none too soon for the Cavaliers (16-6, 6-3 ACC).
He is averaging 6.5 points this season, but has finished in double figures in four of the past five games.

Coach Tony Bennett has called his play “contagious.”
An All-Met who grew up in Montross, Va., Anderson could have been in College Park right now. He originally committed to the Terrapins, but changed his mind once Gary Williams retired from coaching following the 2010-11 season and new Coach Mark Turgeon didn’t retain former assistant Rob Ehsan.

The Cavaliers were always Anderson’s second choice behind Maryland, and he credits a spiritual bond with Bennett for making the decision a comfortable one. But he also wasn’t looking for promises of immediate playing time.
Anderson wanted to be close to home and relished the structure he encountered while waiting his turn behind other stars at Montrose Christian and with the Hampton, Va.-based Boo Williams AAU program. It allowed Anderson to look past the stereotypes about Virginia’s program, namely that the Cavaliers favor a low-scoring, defense-first scheme.

“Sometimes people say, ‘Why don’t you want to do a run-and-gun?’ ”Anderson said this week. “Well, you know, you gotta learn all different aspects of the game, because you never know, if I make it to the next level, what type of team I’ll play for. And I don’t have any control over that. So I think I’m adding a new dimension to my game and I think it’s gonna do nothing but help.”
For a freshman, Anderson is remarkably cognizant of his deficiencies, according to Virginia’s coaches.

He has said he got a big head from the recruiting process and was surprised by the learning curve he encountered early this season, when he struggled with his shooting.
His teammates admired the extra work he put in during his shooting slump, and Anderson still earned consistent playing time because of his defense and physicality.