Noel Cabrera
Staff Writer
“I’m expecting a Conference Championship, I’m expecting to go to state, I’m expecting to win state, I’m expecting to go to the National Tournament,” said Head Coach of Men’s Basketball at Broward College Anthony Anderson. “I think we definitely are capable and have the personnel to do so.”
Coach Anderson has 26 years of coaching experience under his belt, including mainly a list of Division I schools such as Tulane, University of Miami and FIU. This will be Coach Anderson’s second year at Broward College, after finishing with a winning record of 16-12 last season, third in the conference.
The biggest difference from last year to this year can clearly be seen in the talent level. The character of the team has upgraded.
As far as Division I players, it is the first time in quite sometime that they have six future Division I players on the team.
Their biggest strength is at the four spot with a very highly talented recruit sophomore small forward Deandre Pickney from right down the road, Carol City, Florida.
He has multiple offers from big name schools such as UNLV, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and FGCU. It is very rare you can find a 6’9 player that can shoot the three, put the ball on the floor, and also post-up.
This past season as a freshman, he averaged 18.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 59 percent from the field.
Pickney led the conference in rebounding and his 201 free-throw attempts were good for 21st in the country.
Transfers such as sophomore guards Darien Jenkins from Long Island University Post, who is a big time combo guard who can play the one or two spot at any time and Landon Kirkwood from Cal State Fullerton, a high major wing, look to make an immediate impact on the court.
Kirkwood is definitely the type of player you want to pull the camera out when the ball is in his hands. For being a guard he can definitely jump out the gym with a tremendous vertical. Equipped with a great pull-up game, he can shoot the three lights out, no doubt. Also, he has incredible vision on the court assisting the ball to his teammates.
Sophomore guard Andre Anderson, happens to be Coach Anderson’s son, will end up playing Division I in the near future with the level of talent he has. Trevon White, who will be eligible at the end of the semester, will be a major player for the team along with sophomore forward/center Jongkur Unglues.
White and Unglues will easily be playing mid-major ball for someone come next season.
These guys have been working their tails off this offseason to put themselves in position to have a dominant season and take advantage of the benefits later.
“It is very rare you get six future Division I players on one team,” said Coach Anderson. After being a Division I coach for 20+ years, this is an opportunity for these players to take advantage on finding a way to get to that next level.
These guys look to put on a show this season and turn heads left and right. Absolutely you’ll see one or two of them play at that next level to then have an opportunity to play at that elite level, at the very least playing overseas.
Now into the first two games of the season, the Seahawks stand at 1-1, first losing to the #3 team in the nation Florida Southwestern State 80-63, but bouncing back with a win against one of the more talented teams in the nation Hinds College 87-82. Pickney finished that game with a double-double having 20 points and 14 rebounds. That going to show his dominance on those aspects of the game
Hinds actually beat the #5 team in the nation in the game prior to playing BC, going to show that BC is a team that will be able to compete with anyone.
“I’m looking forward to everything shaping out and getting these guys better and by the time we get to March, I’ll be even more excited.”
With this talented roster and the experienced coaching staff, Seahawks look to take the conference by storm and make a run at States then to Nationals.
cabrn9@mail.broward.edu