March 10, 2010
Chris Anderson's athleticism on display
Reeths-Puffer has been a tough team to figure out this season. On the one hand, they have done some remarkable things against some of the area’s best teams when they play at their peak. But, on the other hand, they have had difficulty with their fair share of average-to-good teams as well, going winless against both Holland and Forest Hills Central.
It’s tough to tell what to expect from the Rockets heading into tonight’s district semifinal matchup with the defensive powerhouse Grand Haven Buccaneers. Luckily for us, Reeths-Puffer senior Chris Anderson was gracious enough to make time to chat with WMA about the matchup before boarding the bus to the game.
The Toledo-bound Anderson is a heck of a player, and a great young man. Full transcripts of the interview after the jump (edited for readability).
WMA: Thanks for making the time to talk with WMA, Chris.
CA: Anytime.
WMA: Big game tonight against one of the area’s top defensive teams. What are your thoughts on the matchup?
CA: It’s definitely a tough matchup, Grand Haven’s good for a reason. Like you said they’re one of the best teams on defense, and they have some good guys on offense, too. We’ll need to be at our best, playing as hard as we know how to play, to win tonight. We have to box out their rebounders, and we need to hit shots. That’s going to be big. They won’t let us just get to the hoop, so we have to hit shots.
WMA: Ending your season with two big wins, first coming back from a 23-point deficit against Grand Rapids Union and then holding on to beat Greenville in overtime, what do those two victories do to your confidence entering the tournament?
CA: Both of those games boosted our confidence a lot. It showed us how good we can be when we work hard and play together. We know that when we play the way we know we can, we can beat anybody.
WMA: That brings up an interesting point. You guys have been somewhat tough for me to figure out this season. It seems like you play awesome one night, and then not so well the next night. What’s up with that?
CA: Well when I don’t play at my best, I let my team down. That’s when we rely on guys like Dontreal McKinley, Joe Melton and Jhamonte Melton to pick up the slack. A lot of my teammates look to me to be one of the leaders of the team, and when I do play my best the rest of the team even steps up their game a little more. One more question and then I gotta get on the bus to the game.
WMA: Good stuff. I’ll make it quick. What do you guys have to do to be mentally prepared for a tough test tonight?
CA: We just need to stay focused and do the little things. Just do what we know we need to do, and hopefully we’ll have a shot to win.
WMA: Thanks again, Chris. Good luck tonight!
CA: Thank you.
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