By PAUL GOTHAM
Fordham’s Rams finished 17-14 in 2015-16. The most wins in school history over the past eight seasons. The Rams eight wins in Atlantic 10 play nearly equalled the total of their three previous campaigns combined.
Jeff Neubauer hopes that trend continues, and the second-year coach knows this includes seeing more of Antwoine Anderson on the court.
“We’ve raised the standards of our program,” Neubauer said during last month’s conference pre-season media day. “Antwoine was a big part of that. He really has improved.
“We have six returning guys in our program. There are four of them who I think have made major steps as far as improving their game since March. Antwoine is definitely one of those guys.”
The 6-foot-1 redshirt junior averaged nearly 25 minutes last season. This after playing 18.3 minutes in 2014-15. Anderson responded by improving his field-goal percentage from 36.6 as a redshirt freshman to 46.1 a year ago. He finished the season scoring 8.3 per game.
His offensive rating (per KenPom) also climbed from 81.9 to 96.7. At the same time, he increased the number of possessions touching the ball from 20.9 to to 21.2 while decreasing his turnover rate from 34.1 to 26.0.
“The thing that he has really improved on not only from his freshman year to last year and last year to now is simply valuing the ball,” Neubauer added. “We want the ball in his hands. He is our point guard. He’s going to have the ball.”
For Anderson, his efforts in practice and on the court have been rewarded. He is also seeing the merits of patience.
Months after being named All Greater-Rochester Player of the Year and earning MVP honors while leading Bishop Kearney to a New York State Class AA title, Anderson found himself in the position of being a redshirt.
When he did get on the court early the following year he logged 20 or more minutes in 10 of 11 games, but watched his playing time diminish to single digits in five of Fordham’s last 10 games. At season’s end, former Fordham coach Tom Pecora was dismissed.
The situation understandably created confusion for Anderson.
“It was really strange to me because I’ve never been through that process before,”Anderson said recently by phone. “Day in and day out talking to different people, talking to the coaches and teammates wondering like who’s coming in and not having a clue.
“It was frustrating because you don’t know what’s going to happen. There’s also the possibility that the new coach may not like you or you may not play as much as you would with the previous coach.”
In an era when players transfer schools for a better fit which usually includes an increase in playing time, Anderson had other priorities.
“I really want my degree from Fordham,” he said. “This school is very prestigious.”
It didn’t take long for him to figure out he made the right decision for his basketball endeavors as well.
“When the new coaching staff came in they were really family-oriented which helped me to stay here. I felt like I belonged.”
And on the court?
“The biggest thing was installing a defensive mentality on the team,” Anderson explained. “We’re really physical and just started to play more aggressively.”
This season includes an opportunity for Anderson to return home when Fordham plays St. Bonaventure at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena.
“I was excited because a bunch of my family gets to come to the game along with my friends and high school coaches,” Anderson said of his reaction to hearing about the game.
He will have an added incentive when he looks across the court and sees former Kearney teammate and current Bonnie, Chinonso Obokoh, who recently transferred from Syracuse.
The duo combined to help the Kings to three straight Section Five titles including a 58-55 win over Webster Schroeder their senior season. They will do battle on the same court where they shared those achievements.
“Me and him we’re like the best competitors from Bishop Kearney. I know we’re going to want to win really bad. That’s going to be really special to me because I know I can’t leave without a W.”
Anderson and Obokoh along with teammate Thomas Bryant are among four Kearney alums playing at the Division I level. Quinton Rose starts his college career with Temple this season.
Five other Section V alums are playing the DI level: Dontay Caruthers (Buffalo/East), Emmitt Holt (Providence/Webster Schroeder), Anthony Lamb (Vermont/Greece Athena), Deyshonee Much (Iona/ Gates-Chili) and Phil Valenti (Canisius/Aquinas).
Fordham will play St. Bonaventure on Saturday, January 14th. A 4:30 p.m. tipoff is scheduled. The game will be televised on the NBC Sports Network.
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