Altia Anderson, center, a Woodbridge girls basketball player, signs to play at Marquette this fall as her father, Albert Anderson and mother, Twila Anderson watch on.
Altia Anderson, center, a Woodbridge girls basketball player, signs to play at Marquette this fall as her father, Albert Anderson and mother, Twila Anderson watch on.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, center, a Woodbridge girls basketball player, signs to play at Marquette this fall as her father, Albert Anderson and mother, Twila Anderson watch on.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
Altia Anderson, a Woodbridge girls basketball player who will be signing a scholarship to play at Marquette this fall.
ALTIA ANDERSON, senior, Woodbridge girls basketball
THE WEEK: Signed to play women’s basketball at Marquette University, which competes in the Big East Conference.
THE DECISION: Anderson also considered George Washington and Princeton before deciding Marquette was the place for her. “I chose Marquette because when I see the name I want to work harder, and it feels like home,” Anderson said. “I love the location [Milwaukee], the coaches, the team and just how many facilities they have for us.”
THE EXPOSURE: Woodbridge coach Emilio Perry and his assistant, Jed Bell, worked to make sure Anderson was seen by college coaches. Recruiters liked her 6-foot-2 size, athleticism – and schoolwork. “What really sealed the deal was how well she does academically,” Perry said.
THE STRENGTHS: “I feel like I see the floor pretty well, and I pass pretty well, and I’m competitive. I’m not going to give up,” Anderson said. “I want to improve on my shot and finishing layups in traffic. And I want to be able to read the court even better, have a higher basketball IQ.”
THE SENIOR YEAR: Anderson averaged 18.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, 6.3 blocks, 3.4 steals and 2.4 assists per game last season as the Blue Raiders went 16-5 and lost in the opening round of the state tournament. “I’m looking forward to gaining some titles, and I’m looking forward to playing with my team one last time,” Anderson said. “I just want to keep working hard.”
THE VERSATILITY: “The best part of her game is that she’s very versatile,” Perry said. “She can go inside and have her back to the basket, she can knock down the mid-range jump shots and she can dribble the ball. She’s just a well-rounded athlete.”
THE CLASSROOM: Anderson’s favorite subjects are AP Calculus, AP Biology and Animal Science. “I don’t always get it, but most of the time when I get it, it’s easier to do and I like how you solve it and get one answer,” Anderson said of Calculus.
THE FUTURE: Anderson, a 4.0 student, plans to study biological sciences at Marquette. “I really like fishing, and I really like outdoors,” she said. “I think a fish farm would be really cool. Have my own fish farm, market it and be able to do the research.”
Send Athlete of the Week nominations to bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ