Anderson lighting it up in NBA Development League

McALLEN, TX – The NBA Development League announced Thursday that Rio Grande Valley Vipers guard Antonio Anderson (6-6, 215, Memphis) is the Player of the Month for games played in December 2009.While leading the Vipers to an 8-2 record last month, Lynn’s Anderson averaged 18.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 48.9 percent (64-for-131) from the field. Anderson recorded two double-doubles, including a career-high 13 assists in a win over the Albuquerque Thunderbirds on Dec. 12, two nights after dishing out 12 assists against the same team. He matched his career high in points with 28 on Dec. 8 in a win over the Austin Toros and broke the 20-point barrier three times.Anderson is the fourth Viper to ever earn the honor. Jawad Williams, now with the Cleveland Cavaliers, earned the honor for March 2009, Desmon Farmer earned the honor for February 2008 and C.J. Watson, now with the Golden State Warriors, earned the honor for December 2007.Anderson was also named NBA Development League Player of the Week for games played between Dec. 28 and Jan. 3 on Monday. During that span, Anderson averaged 26.5 points, 7.0 assists, 3.0 steals, 2.0 rebounds and one block per game while shooting 62 percent (19-for-31) from the field.In a 114-112 win over the Austin Toros at Dodge Arena on Dec. 30, Anderson hit the game-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left before successfully defending a last-second three-point attempt by altering the trajectory of Curtis Jerrells’ shot to secure the two-point win. Anderson led the team in scoring (27 points) and steals (four) and tied for the team lead in assists (five) in that game.The Vipers are now 11-4 and in first place in the Western Conference. They play two games against the Iowa Energy (14-2, first place Eastern Conference) on Saturday and Sunday at Iowa.