Cal-bound Anigwe putting top-ranked Desert Vista hoops at center of attention

She won’t be confused for on the basketball court, in the classroom or walking across campus.

At 6’4 Desert Vista junior center Kristine Anigwe usually stands out in a crowd.

The Cal Berkley commit is averaging around 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks a game for the state’s top team Division-I team. The deep, balanced and to this point unbeaten Thunder have been getting in done in a big way in part by doing the little things, Anigwe included.

“She’s willing to do whatever it takes to win,” first-year DV head coach Jontar Coleman told Sports360AZ.com. “She [does] a lot of things effectively. Defensive rebounds, a lot of blocks.”

Coleman, who took over on an interim level last season, has seen a transformation from Anigwe from her sophomore to this her junior season. She’s playing with more confidence and has taken on more of leadership role on a roster littered with players both younger and more experienced.

“I want to become more of a diverse player,” Anigwe explained after DV’s hard-fought win over Ahwatukee rival Mountain Pointe. “Driving [more] and [improving] my free throw percentage.”

She said she’s happy to have the recruiting process behind her and believes becoming a Golden Bear was the “best fit” for her moving forward.

For now she’s putting the future on hold and hoping the Thunder make more noise than last season’s second-round state playoff loss to eventual champion St. Mary’s.