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Josh Hairston won't be donning the Courtland uniform Hairston |
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
Courtland High School never got the opportunity to feature Josh Hairston and Justin Anderson on the same basketball court.
But Montrose Christian School will.
Hairston will join Anderson at the Rockville, Md., private school.
The Duke University recruit is transferring to Montrose for his senior season after three years at Courtland, his mother, Natalie Hairston, said yesterday.
"I think it will be a lot of fun," Natalie Hairston said, of Anderson and her son playing together. "I wish we had been able to see it here in the community for a year, but people have to make their own decisions. It was the right timing for us in order for Josh to be challenged."
The timing was right for Anderson last year as a high school freshman.
He's now a rising sophomore at Montrose and one of the top players in the nation for the class of 2012.
Anderson played junior varsity basketball for Courtland as an eighth-grader when Josh was a sophomore on the Cougars' varsity team.
As a junior, Josh, a 6-foot-8 power forward, led the Cougars to the Group AA, Division 4 state championship.
After averaging 23.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, he was named the state player of the year by the Virginia High School Coaches Association and the Associated Press.
He was the co-player of the year for The Free Lance-Star.
Natalie Hairston said the family had an agreement with Courtland coach J.T. Nino that Hairston's commitment to the school would be evaluated yearly.
"It was tough for him leaving his teammates, leaving his community," Natalie Hairston said. "But he knew [transferring] was the best move for his skill development and competitive play."
Natalie Hairston said her son considered several other private schools, including Findlay Prep, which is in Las Vegas.
But Montrose's proximity to the family's home in Spotsylvania County was the deciding factor.
She said the family was also impressed with veteran Montrose coach Stu Vetter and the school's facilities.
Still, she said Nino "will always be labeled as Josh's coach."
She said Nino showed enough confidence in Josh to place him on varsity as a freshman, while friends and family members "betted money he wouldn't get any playing time."
He was named the team's Most Valuable Player as a freshman.
Josh and Natalie Hairston thanked Nino in a meeting after he decided to transfer.
Nino and Josh weren't available for comment yesterday. Josh is playing in an AAU tournament in Cincinnati.
"I think he did everything he had to do [at Courtland]," Natalie Hairston said. "He wants to be an impact player [at Duke], so he needs more training and development."
Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com
