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Justin Anderson – Photo by Steven Maikoski/USA Basketball |
It’s official. Justin Anderson is now a Virginia Cavalier. The 6-5, 220-pound rising senior small forward has verbally committed to UVa, making the news official one week and one day after a May 18 unofficial visit to Charlottesville.
Anderson revealed his decision through a press release out of Montrose Christian (Rockville, MD) and in comments to the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. He originally committed to the University of Maryland (Virginia and UNC were the other finalists), but weeks later head coach Gary Williams retired, prompting the super-athletic prospect to reconsider.
“The Cavaliers were always my second choice behind Maryland,” Anderson said in the press release, which comes after a week of speculation that he would indeed commit to Virginia. “Also, my family lives in Virginia. After the departure of Coach [Gary] Williams and Coach [Robert] Ehsan it just feels like the right fit.”
In the same press release, Montrose Christian head coach Stu Vetter said, “Justin decided to revisit his options after Gary [Williams] retired. He has been heavily recruited since the 8th grade and it has been an exhausting and distracting process for a teenager. Although Mark Turgeon wanted to begin recruiting him, Justin and his family decided to conclude the process. We look forward to developing a relationship with the new coaching staff at the University of Maryland. We are very pleased that Justin will continue his education and basketball career at the University of Virginia.
“UVA is a tremendous institution and recent Montrose graduates Tunji Soroye and Doug Browman have had great experiences there as student-athletes.”
Rated a 5-star prospect by Rivals.com and a 4-star recruit by ESPN.com and Scout.com, Anderson averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks for Montrose Christian this past season as a junior. He joins small forward Evan Nolte (Milton H.S. in Georgia; ESPN, Rivals and Scout 4-star prospect) and power forward/center Mike Tobey (Hotchkiss School in Connecticut; ESPN, Rivals and Scout 4-star prospect) in UVa’s 2012 class.
Stay tuned to TheSabre.com for much more on Anderson’s commitment.
