DIPRIMIO: No Joke – Damezi Anderson Aims for Impact As IU Faces Gannon

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Damezi Anderson is a funny guy. Don't believe it? Just ask Indiana basketball teammate Race Thompson.

Granted, Anderson, a sophomore forward, is not the second coming of nationally renowned comedians Chris Rock or Dave Chappelle, but that's not the point.

Breaking tension and generating good Cream 'n Crimson will is.

So when Thompson calls Anderson the team's funniest guy. Anderson doesn't disagree.

"It's the personality I try to bring," he says. "I want to bring that bond, bring everybody together. Make sure everybody is comfortable together, and not as a group here or a group there."

In these divided times, where friction is everywhere you look in sports, politics and beyond, that's important.

"That's the type of personality I love to bring," Anderson says. "I want to go to war with my brothers every day, and I'd rather be comfortable with them while doing it."

IU's version of basketball war gets its first true public viewing Tuesday night when it hosts Gannon in its lone exhibition game. The Hoosiers did play Marquette in a private scrimmage last week at Indianapolis' Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The 6-7 Anderson figures to have a much bigger role against Gannon, and the upcoming season, than he did last year, when he struggled to adjust from high school standout -- he was rated as a top-100 prospect by national recruiting service 247 Sports -- to college reserve.

Last year Anderson played in 21 of Indiana's 35 games, averaging 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 96 minutes.

It was, Anderson says, a much-needed dose of reality.

"I've never been in that kind of situation before," he says. "It was a new role I had to adjust to. It taught me a lot.

"Last year's seniors taught me a lot, as well. They communicated to me on how to do things. I took it and continued to get better."

Anderson showed signs of that during the Marquette scrimmage with team-leading totals of seven rebounds (sharing it with Thompson) and two steals.

While some freshmen make instant impact (see last year with Romeo Langford at a team-high 16.5 points, plus 5.4 rebounds, and Rob Phinisee at 6.8 points and a team-leading 94 assists), many need time to acclimate.

Anderson got that time, and coach Archie Miller expects to see the benefits in what looms as a potential return-to-glory Hoosier season.

"Damezi is like a lot of young guys that come from certain situations and they walk into uncharted territory and you've got to learn the ropes," Miller says. "The great thing about Damezi is he's a fantastic kid. He wants to learn. He's very coachable.

"He'll be the first to tell you that he had a lot to learn. There are some things he needs to do better. But I'll tell you what, he went to work on them. He's as big and strong and as well-conditioned as he's been. He's a 220-plus pound guy who can shoot. He's going to have to bring that to the table for our team."

Anderson was a bring-it-all force at South Bend Riley High School, especially as a scorer. He set a South Bend-prep record with 2,210 career points.

As a senior, Anderson averaged 19.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals while leading Riley to a 26-1 record. He was rated as the state's No. 2 prospect behind Langford, who now plays for the NBA's Boston Celtics.

Anderson was a 37-percent three-point shooter in high school, but against college competition that dropped to 23.3 percent (7-for-30).

Miller expects that to improve, as it needs to for all the Hoosiers, who shot just 31.2 percent beyond the arc as a team last year.

"Our perimeter guys have to shoot it," Miller says. "Damezi is a guy we have some hope for in that regard. One of the best things that Damezi does is he can shoot. You've got to start with that with him."

More opportunity will come against Gannon, a NCAA Division II program that returns eight key players from last season's 11-18 team.

For IU coaches, it's a chance to build and evaluate in a public setting before the Nov. 5 season opener against Western Illinois.

Veteran guards Devonte Green and Phinisee aren't expected to play because of injuries. They had also missed Hoosier Hysteria. Green is dealing with a hamstring problem. Phinisee has an abdominal issue.

"Devonte has been on a wave of out, then back, now out again," Miller says. "Hamstrings are delicate. We want to make sure we're putting him in a situation where he's confident.

"Rob hasn't been part of anything that we've done in October. Hopefully he's getting closer to getting back to work full go.

"Both guys are very important to what we're doing. Erring on the side of caution in October is the smart thing to do."

Freshman guard Armaan Franklin took advantage of their absence in the Marquette scrimmage to score a team-high 14 points in 29 off-the-bench minutes.

"Armaan is really important in what we're doing," Miller says. "He's had to handle a significant amount of repetitions in practice. He's dealt with his own ankle and some illness, but he's doing a good job. He's ahead of schedule in terms of his learning curve. He's a smart guy. He's very coachable.

"Having to bounce back and forth with multiple positions has been difficult for him, to say the least. You want your young guys focusing on the same things every day so they can get better.

"He's going to play a big role. He's earning it now."

So is Anderson.

"It's just a much different feeling for him," Miller says. "It's not the first time he's went through it. He has the advantage of going through a year under his belt, and he knows what we expect of him. He knows what he's going to need to do to help our team. I think everyone from players to coaches feel that he's going to do that, and we're excited for him

"He has an opportunity to really grab a hold of a role, and he's much more equipped mentally to do. You want your young players to grow and keep playing better. Damezi is a much different player, he's a much different guy than he was as a true freshman."

That difference should really take hold as the season progresses.

"I want to just continue to get better," Anderson says. "Be prepared and have the confidence to play when my name is called. I want to play with confidence and help the team."

Indiana University Athletics

DIPRIMIO: No Joke – Damezi Anderson Aims for Impact As IU Faces Gannon

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Armaan Franklin

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