Lucas at Large: Anderson pushing limits through patience
February 22, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Mike Lucas, Varsity Magazine
Transfer using year off from playing to enhance skills and strength
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — When his Wisconsin teammates are on the road, Trevor Anderson is on his own. Usually, he'll get together with some student managers who aren't traveling and they'll watch the game together.
Usually, he'll stay calm since things are out of his control. Usually. "Maybe I'll yell at the TV sometimes if there's a bad call or something," conceded Anderson, a UW-Green Bay transfer.
Since he's responsible for simulating the opposing team's point guard during practices leading up to the game, he knows what they're trying to do and what could happen before it does.
"You've got to chase him around the screen," he might blurt out.
Conversely, when the Badgers have the ball, he has a basic working knowledge of how they want to attack the defense. "I can see it play out and that's kind of cool," he said.
At home games, Anderson will sit with injured sophomore D'Mitrik Trice (out indefinitely) and freshman Kobe King (out for the season). All three will play a major role on next season's team.
But that hasn't made redshirting any easier for the 20-year-old Anderson, who started 20 games and averaged 10 points as a true freshman at Green Bay last season before a back injury sidelined him.
Now healthy, he's still not able to contribute and that pains him on game days.
But Anderson knew what he was getting himself into when he transferred. "So, I just have to continue to be the best practice player I can be," he said. "When my time comes, I'll be ready."
UW coach Greg Gard is convinced that will be the case. After coping with a shorthanded backcourt, Gard is looking forward to having the 6-foot-2, 196-pound Anderson for the next three seasons.
"Trevor is a better player than what my perception of him was," Gard admitted. "There's no doubt he has already helped us this year by stirring the pot, so to speak in practice, and really getting after people.
"I knew that he was competitive. But I didn't know that he was THIS competitive.
"It's a huge positive when you have guards who are generals and leaders; who are boisterous and want to take command. We've seen the impact that Brad (Davison) has had."
Davison, the second-leading scorer (11.7), and Anderson have often been pitted against each other in practice and the competition has benefited both guards.
"He's a very competitive kid as everyone knows and I'm pretty competitive, too," Anderson said. "We butt heads sometimes."
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But it's healthy — "all fun and games" — he was quick to say. Anderson has set the tone for the scout team, along with assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft, who's still scrimmaging with the young kids.
"He brings the energy up a ton," Anderson said of Krabbenhoft, who played in 136 games at the UW. "He's getting steals, grabbing rebounds and diving on the floor at the age of 30-whatever."
Krabbenhoft, who will be 31 in late March, gets much of his fire from his dad, Kelby, a former Division III college player and youth coach. Anderson was coached by his dad, Scott, at Stevens Point (Wisconsin) High School.
"My dad," Anderson said, "told me from a young age, 'You're not the tallest and you're not the most athletic, so you have to impact the game in multiple different ways."'
One is leading by example.
"I'm going to be the guy blasting through screens and diving on the floor," said Anderson, who played on two state championships teams. "That's contagious when you see guys playing like that."
Gard remembered attending games at Stevens Point and taking notes on Anderson, the school's all-time leading scorer (2,360) and Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin as a senior.
"I watched him a lot at SPASH," Gard said. "Obviously, I think he's still scratching the surface because he'll get stronger with another year in our strength training program."
Anderson has already noticed some changes athletically in his game since coming under the guidance of Erik Helland, the basketball team's strength and conditioning coordinator.
"I notice that I'm getting by people," Anderson said, "and staying in front of them better defensively than I was at Green Bay, or high school, or AAU."
He has tried to take advantage of every possession on the scout team, too. Whether he's cast as Minnesota's Nate Mason, Northwestern's Bryant McIntosh or Michigan State's Cassius Winston.
"No matter who we're playing that week," he said, "I've got to come off ball screens and make plays. Doing that against the starters really helps elevate my game."
Looking back on his recruitment out of high school, Anderson confided that "deep down" he wanted to be a Badger, but "I think I followed my head instead of my heart the first time."
His competitiveness might have influenced the decision because Wisconsin, then under Bo Ryan, was recruiting him as a walk-on. "I was a little stubborn that they wouldn't offer me," Anderson said.
There were some awkward moments between Anderson and a few of his former teammates when he walked onto the floor prior to the Dec. 23 game against Green Bay at the Kohl Center.
"But Coach (Randall) Herbst, who recruited me, took the pressure off and gave me a little hug," he said. "We talked a little bit and then it was game time… there are a lot of classy guys over there."
That includes head coach Linc Darner. "He wanted me to stay," Anderson recounted, "but he also said, 'I kind of know that you've made your mind up and I wish you nothing but the best.'"
All along, Anderson has been driven by one thing — his competitive instincts — which ultimately drove him to the Badgers. "I wanted to push my limits," he said, "and see what I could do here."
