Senior Justin Anderson has put in the work and now, in his last year of high school, it’s time for him to step onto the court and bring his A-game. As one of the captains for the UC High Boys Basketball Team, he understands the responsibilities and skills required to be a high-level student athlete.

  Justin has been playing basketball for eight years now, and it all started with watching his older sisters play. Nowadays, he finds his inspiration by watching some of his favorite players. Watching Professional Players James Harden, Lebron James, and Kobe Bryant play, along with his favorite NBA team, The Oklahoma City Thunder, is just another way he stays invested in the sport.

   Just like any other team sport, when you play with your teammates long enough, you begin to feel like a family. Justin said, “My favorite thing about basketball is getting buckets with my family.”

  Senior Cole Doolittle added, “I love being on a team with Justin, because he has such a big heart. He is such a helpful teammate. The kid is a bucket-getter. When the team needs a bucket, we give the ball to J. Justin’s best skill has to be his shot. The kid has ice in his veins.”

   “Justin is a leader. He always encourages us to give it our all and motivates the team. He makes everybody around him a better player,” stated Senior Nathan Stepanski.

   According to the Maxpreps website, Anderson, who plays shooting guard, averaged around 8-9 points per game last year, and had stats that were well above the national average. He plans to continue playing well and increase those numbers this year (maxpreps.com).

    “This year, I hope our team can work to limit turnovers. I think the hardest part about basketball is working together to come back when your team is down late in the game. I love when our team plays up to its potential and runs the other teams out of the gym,” stated Justin.

   Stepanski said, “During the season, he is completely focused on the task at hand and will not stop until the job is done.”

   His stats from last year more than back up his abilities. With a season total of 26 games played, 239 points scored, and an average of 9 points per game, it’s safe to say that Justin makes a differences when he’s on the court.”I think the skill that makes me a valuable basketball player is my ability to score,” stated Justin.

  While he is not entirely sure about his plans to further his basketball career in college, Justin has his sights set on some shorter term goals for the season. He hopes to help take his team to the CIF Championship, the League Championship, and the State Championship.