Anthony Lamb: A natural leader shines on the court

Stephan Toljan, Senior Staff Writer

An outlier is any point that falls outside of the mean.

In UVM men’s basketball, forward Anthony Lamb, a junior, is an example of an outlier, averaging 21.3 points a game, according to UVM athletics.

For the second time this year, Lamb has been chosen as the TD Bank Student-Athlete of the Week, according to UVM athletics.

Lamb won the award last November and again Feb. 12.

Head coach John Becker spoke after a game against the University at Albany Feb. 9 about Lamb’s presence on the court.

“As a coach, it’s always a good thing when your best player is your hardest worker and he’s been that,” he said. “He leads by example and he isn’t afraid to hold his peers accountable.”

Just this season, Lamb has averaged 21.3 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and 2 assists per game, according to UVM athletics.

Off the court, Becker said that Lamb has a very vocal presence.

“He trusts what we’re doing here so now he’s a voice in the locker room to tell guys what they need to be doing,” he said. “He’s got a really good feel for people and he really cares.”

Lamb said he first started playing basketball in the third grade because it was something fun to do.

“My mom tried to get me and my brother into some sports when I was younger,” he said. “I really liked basketball, so I stuck with it.”

Out of all of the people who have helped him to get where he is today, Lamb said that his idol off the court is his mom.

“She was a single parent who worked 70 hour weeks just so my brother and I could play basketball, get to college and do what we want to do,” he said.

Lamb said that even though he started playing in the third grade, he only started to get better once he got to middle school and then later in high school.

He said that he played a key role on his high school team.

“At first I was a supporting player, but I started to develop going into my later years in high school,” Lamb said. “My last two years I was captain of the team.”

When he isn’t playing basketball, Lamb said he likes to watch anime.

“First thing I do is watch anime, it’s literally all I do,” he said. “I play basketball a lot, so there isn’t a lot of free time. I just try to be chill and relax.”

Although Lamb said he had numerous offers from other schools, he chose UVM because of its atmosphere.

“I really enjoyed the people here and it is a really beautiful place at its base,” he said. “Everything felt right when I came here.”

Lamb said UVM was the only school he visited when touring.

“After I came here, I didn’t even need to see anywhere else,” he said.

In his time here at UVM, Lamb has scored a total of nearly 1,200 points, made 250 out of 320 free throws and has played for roughly 1,900 minutes, according to UVM athletics.

On the court, Lamb is very in-tune to the game, senior guard Ernie Duncan said.

“I know what spots he likes to be in and he knows where I like the ball,” he said. “He makes my life easier and hopefully I make his life easier, so it’s really fun to play with him.”

Out of 25 total games this season, Lamb has been the high-scorer in 14 of them and the high-blocker in 18 of them, according to UVM athletics.

Off the court, Duncan said that Lamb is a natural leader.

“He’s commanding and really fun to be around,” he said. “He’s a really cool dude and a really good dude.”

Even with all his success, Lamb has not been without injury this season.

Lamb had to sit out for two games, against University of Maryland Baltimore County and Stony Brook University, because of a concussion, Becker said.

“It’s great to have him back,” he said. “We’re a different team without him.”

Lamb got the concussion in the Jan. 19 game against Binghamton University when he was hit by another player.

Regardless, Lamb has come back strong after this injury, scoring 29 points in his first game back against University of Massachusetts Lowell Feb. 2, according to UVM athletics.

After college, Lamb said he hopes to play in the NBA.

“My dream is to play in the NBA,” he said. “[College basketball] is a stepping stone to reach that dream.”

Lamb said that if he could tell his younger self anything, he would say to focus on the mental side of the game.

“Focus on the mental side of the game because there are a lot of things you can learn by just watching the game,” he said. “Don’t stress yourself out because it all comes to you eventually.”