Introducing PG Joe Anderson (2020)
BMaze Elite AAU discovered the skills and promise of a young Joe Anderson. The 100-year old Maryville High School furthered his development. Now it is time for the doe to stand before college coaches, the national media on his own legs.
“In my freshman year I was more focused on getting the ball to places,” said Joe Anderson. “This year I took on the role of leader pretty well. I think I averaged 19.8 ppg and 5 apg.”
In just Joe’s sophomore year the maturing deer lead Maryville in defeating Knoxville Catholic x3, Gallatin, Powell, Lenoir City x2, Alcoa, and Anderson County.
“It went pretty good,” said Joe Anderson. “We came in like second in regions. We came up a game short to go to state, but we did pretty good.”
Recruiting
The 6-foot-0 floor general benefited early in his AAU career by accompanying players like Akeem Odusipe on recruiting stops. Do not be fooled. Anderson is, and college coaches are slowly realizing this, a D1 prospect on his own merits.
Blessed to receive my first offer with my brother from ETSU! All god???????? pic.twitter.com/vHsIOnTIbj
— Joe Anderson (@joe22anderson) July 4, 2017
“Right now I have an offer from ETSU (above),” said Anderson. “I went to the Auburn Camp. I went to the South Carolina Camp.”
Camps are a wonderful outlet for unknown or underappreciated players to expand their recruiting profile.
More direct and wildly more impacting are unofficial college visits of which Joe Anderson has taken two.
Both North Carolina State and Chattanooga hosted Anderson and a couple other teammates.
AAU Mission
For Joe Anderson’s stated goal for BMaze 16u to win it all, and it not to sound silly, conveys how far the young AAU program has come in such a short time.
“Last year we were playing just to get our spot,” said Anderson. “I think we earned out spot by making the final four. I think we are going to win it all this year.”
Many players and parents begin the BMaze Elite experience because Bobby Maze has both a reputation and a confidence few AAU coaches can match.
“I mean it is crazy (playing nationally),” said Joe Anderson. “Bobby Maze has been through all of this already. It is pretty cool to have him to walk us through this. He is a great model for us.
Big events can shrink egos and lower confidence of the unprepared or the meek.
“We get nervous, but we have coaches like Bobby and (16u Head Coach) Raul who have already been there.”
And the one other model of basketball brilliance that Joe Anderson tracks is a former Phoenix Sun superstar.
“Definitely Steve Nash,” said Joe Anderson. “That is who I looked up to a lot of my life. Definitely Steph Curry. It wasn’t the big D1 schools that recruited him. It was a little one. I think that is what is going to happen to me.”
Steadied and ready, Joe Anderson is a young buck to watch.