With each new school year comes the potential for aspiring star athletes to join one of Brooklyn Tech’s many successful sports teams, and of all of the school’s 42 sports teams, very few can match the number of star players, or the unparalleled success of the Boys Junior Varsity (JV) Basketball Team.
Every fall, Mr. Elmer Anderson, the Dean and Coach of the JV Basketball Team, directs most of his attention toward freshmen, working to develop prospective players for the Boys Varsity Basketball Team. Coming into the 2023-2024 winter season, Coach Anderson was unsure whether he would continue to coach the team after losing to South Shore High School in the city final the previous year.
“I felt like I [had] given my all,” he admitted. However, watching Tavious Scott (‘27) for the first time at tryouts squashed his doubt. “His tenacity on the defensive end and determination on the offensive end was pretty incredible,” said Coach Anderson.
Scott has more than delivered on his potential, wowing his team both on and off the court, with highlights including a 47-point performance against Benjamin Banneker Academy, and exemplary sportsmanship that earned him the role of JV captain, which is rare for a freshman.
Scott spent the summer with his travel team, Metro United, developing his standout skills in tournaments at historic basketball courts across the city like the West 4th Street Courts, Dyckman Park, and Rucker Park, where NBA legends like Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James have played.
For Scott, the adjustment from Metro United to Tech was smooth. “My role on my travel team and Tech are very similar,” he said. “They both require me to run the offense, take shots, lead my team defensively, and create opportunities for my teammates.”
Before entering his freshman year, he had questions about where his basketball career at Tech would begin. His original goal was to jump straight to the Varsity team, but after consulting with Coach Anderson and his family, he chose the JV team, feeling that it was the best decision for his development.
“I realized [that] Coach Anderson was going to advance my game and put me in the best possible situation,” Scott said. Coach Anderson’s experience playing Division One college basketball at St. Bonaventure University from 1983 to 1987 also intrigued him. “[Anderson] understands the stress and mental toughness required to be successful on the court,” Scott added.
Having been a point guard himself, Coach Anderson has taken a specific liking to Scott’s precise ball handling, even joking that he could find a way to pass the ball through a keyhole. In turn, Scott credited his slick passing to his collaboration with his teammates. “I trust my teammates to make the right decisions,” he acknowledged.
Even with an advanced skill set that includes deep three-pointers, floaters, and layups, Scott knows he still has much to learn. “One major aspect of my game that I need to develop is embracing the trap or double team and using it against my opponents,” he admitted.
Coach Anderson has no doubts though that Scott will continue to improve under his tutelage. “[Scott] doesn’t think he is too good to learn how to get better,” Anderson said.
Outside of Tech, people have started to pay more attention to Scott. Instagram account @basketballheadzz, which follows basketball at all levels across NYC, and boasts over 14,000 followers, has featured Scott multiple times on the page. After a 25-point, seven-assist, and nine-steal performance earlier in Tech’s season, one post noted that he was “clearly the best player on the floor.”
For some players, that extra attention and praise might lead them to prioritize their own success, but that could not be less true with Scott. The bond he has created with his teammates has allowed them to achieve their success as a unit this past season. “These relationships off the court translate to the court because it reminds me that I’m not only fighting for my coach but also my brothers around me,” Scott said.
This connection between Scott and his teammates put Coach Anderson in a predicament at first. Throughout his time as JV coach, he has typically named sophomores as team captains, but the leadership that Scott showed in the early days of the season made it impossible for Anderson to deny him leadership of the team. “He’s showing that he’s supportive of his teammates, very personable, and never complains,” noted Anderson.
The adjustment to life at Tech is difficult for any new student, and made even more difficult for those on sports teams, given the hefty time commitments. Scott has taken this challenge head-on and shown incredible character finding a balance between the classroom and the basketball court. Even further, he embraces the challenge. “It instills discipline and makes me a stronger-willed individual,” he said.
Coach Anderson, who expects top-level academic performance from every player, has also been blown away by his star player’s academic prowess. “I see him tutoring, helping his teammates with math,” he emphasized.
Despite a 12-point effort in Tech’s three-point season-ending loss to New Dorp High School, Scott’s journey with his teammates has only just begun. “I’m focused on winning a championship with them,” he said.
After leading his team to a 9-1 record with a stat line of over 19 points per game, combined with over six rebounds and assists per game as a mere freshman, there is no doubt that if Scott continues on this course, he will leave Tech as one of the best basketball players to ever walk its halls.
