LYNN– Special memories are tied to the month of March for Lynn native Lynne Gunter-Silva. That’s because Gunter-Silva, a Classical graduate, is the grandmother of Lynn basketball legend Antonio Anderson.
It was 10 years ago when Gunter-Silva had the opportunity to watch her grandson play in college basketball’s grandest stage. Anderson, who played three seasons of high school basketball at Tech, was a starting guard on the Memphis team that went all the way to the championship game of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
Gunter-Silva has vivid memories of watching Anderson play on television and being a part of a Lynn community that embraced his success at Memphis.
“(March) reminds me of when his games would be on television and the excitement that they brought,” Gunter-Silva said. “I would watch the games and it brought a lot of excitement to me and my co-workers. Just to physically see my own blood on television was amazing to me.
“Anywhere I’d go, people would ask me ‘how’s Antonio doing?'” Gunter-Silva added. “They all thought he was a good player. They all talked about him and his games. People thought well about him. They really did.”
During his four seasons at Memphis, Anderson helped lead the Tigers to three Elite 8 appearances. Memphis fell short in the 2008 National Championship game with a 75-68 overtime loss to Kansas. Anderson scored 9 points with 5 rebounds and 4 steals in that game.
Through his Tigers career (2006-2009), Anderson averaged 8.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game under former Memphis coach John Calipari, who’s currently at the helm at Kentucky. He totalled 1,277 career points and currently ranks as the school’s 19th all-time leading scorer.
Anderson was also a staple to the Tigers success on the defensive end. He earned the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2009 and was named to the Conference USA All-Defensive Team for three consecutive seasons.
Of the 151 games Anderson played in a Tigers uniform, Memphis won 137.
“It was very hard to believe. Calipari had done so much for those guys,” Gunter-Silva said. “They believed in one another so much. At one point he had been selected as the (Conference USA) all-defensive team player, and that made it even more spectacular. It was well-deserved. He’s an amazing young man.”
Anderson’s Memphis legacy was cemented in February when he was inducted into the university’s “M Club” Hall of Fame. The official ceremony took place on Feb. 10 and Anderson was joined by his family members as they watched his collegiate accomplishments come to fruition.
“It was amazing and hard to believe,” Gunter-Silva, who attended the ceremony, said. “It’s something that you wish and hope for. I was extremely proud of him. Finally he was able to get his just due for all the efforts he put in over those years.
“He was thrilled and so excited to bring his son, Nathan, who’s now 11 years old,” Gunter-Silva added. “When you tell him about what his father accomplished it’s one thing. But he was able to see it all. He saw the pictures and Antonio give a speech. It was exceptional. I was super proud to see my grandson in that moment.”
After four seasons at Memphis, Anderson’s playing career brought him to the professional level. He had a brief stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2009-2010 season when he played on a roster that also included Kevin Durant, James Harden, Serge Ibaka and Russell Westbrook. He also played professionally overseas in Germany and Puerto Rico.
In 2014, Anderson stepped into the coaching realm when joined the men’s basketball staff at Wheelock as an assistant. He also held an assistant coaching role at Salem State (2015-2016) and Franklin Pierce (2016-2017).
Last April he was tabbed to be the head boys basketball coach at English.
“I knew he deserved it,” Gunter-Silva said. “He finally got something that he truly deserved to do. He really wanted to do that and it just shows that he’s an amazing young man. His dad, my son Stephen, hit himself in the chest and said ‘that’s my son’ when he heard about it. It was amazing to see.”
Earlier this week, Anderson coached the Bulldogs to a win over Peabody in the first round of the Division 1 North state tournament. No. 5 English advanced to Sunday night’s quarterfinal at Lowell, the No. 4 seed.
Watching Anderson’s basketball career come full circle makes Gunter-Silva a proud grandmother.
“He’s still in the game, that’s what he wanted,” Gunter-Silva said. “He may not have achieved it through the NBA but he’s doing it through coaching.
“I just know my Antonio will continue to do his best in any of his achievements. I know his son will follow in his footsteps. I know Antonio will show him the world. I always wish him the best and I love him dearly.”