Still, he acknowledged Justin has the reputation as a "raw" player in recruiting circles. He's an athlete who can run, jump and dunk, but still needs to work on basketball skills.

"He's always been a high-level athlete with a high-level body and he plays the game with a high motor," Biancardi said. "But what he needs to do is continue to work on his ability to make shots and to read the defense. When the shot opportunity is there, he has to have the confidence to take it and the ability to make it."

Anderson has worked on his outside shot. He made just six 3-pointers all of last season, but sank four against Cesar Chavez.

However, all of his points came on dunks, layups or 3-pointers. He didn't get to the free-throw line once. Biancardi and Vetter said his mid-range game must improve.

"Any time you seen an athlete like Justin, people assume he's a basketball player," Vetter said. "Just because you can jump, just because you can dunk doesn't make you a good basketball player. Now he's getting together the fundamentals of the game."

Justin said the criticism is fair, and that's why he's in the gym at 6:30 a.m. every morning working on his game.

"He's had [the raw] reputation for a while," Biancardi said. "The only way you break that reputation is by working on your skills and doing other things that basketball players should do--pass, make good assists, make good cuts, learn how to play off of your teammates. I know he's a hard worker and he loves the game. If those two things stay true and he improves, he'll be in good shape."

NOT IN A RUSH

Justin said he's in no rush to make a college decision. His father said that this year Justin has "loaded up" academically so that his senior season will be less stressful. Justin said he'll make a decision by this time next year, but he wants to narrow his list down to four schools soon.

"Right now, we're loving Maryland, we're loving Duke, we're loving Syracuse, we're loving Villanova, we're loving Oklahoma, we're loving Texas," Justin said. "We're keeping it all open. I just want to make sure I'm in the gym working on my game and not worrying about college, because I still have another year of high school."

For Justin, that means another year to develop. It's also another year to fulfill the enormous expectations placed on him as a youth.

"He's right on target," Vetter said. "He's improved every year. He's learned that basketball isn't just about fun. There was so much hype around Justin that I don't think anyone could've lived up to the expectations. But now he's settled down, he's maturing and he's doing the things necessary to become one of the best players in the country."

Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com