Baldwin School’s Anajah Brown is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week
The 6-foot-1 junior center has been averaging more than 24 points per game and nearly 17 rebounds per contest the past couple of weeks. She scored 25 points and pulled down 15 rebounds against Academy of Notre Dame Jan. 7, scored 31 points (with 18 rebounds) against Oakcrest High School Dec. 29, then on the following day grabbed 17 rebounds against Wildwood High School. She scored 30 points Jan. 11 in a 57-33 win against Barrack Hebrew Academy. Last winter, as a sophomore forward, she averaged 19.1 ppg and 10.4 rpg while receiving second team All Inter-Ac and All-Main Line basketball honors,
Q: What area of your game do you feel you improved the most in the off-season?
A: I feel like the area on which I have improved the most is my court awareness. Being aware of where the defenders and my teammates are, allow me to better handle the double teams that I’m seeing more often this season. I also think this season I have also become more aggressive offensively then I have been in previous years.
Q: What do you think is the strongest aspect of your game? What part of your game are you working on the most currently?
A: I feel as though the strongest aspects of my game are rebounding and defense. The part of my game that I’ve been working on currently is definitely ball handling and my 3 point shooting.
Q: Who have been your most important basketball mentors; and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: My most important basketball mentor is my mom. She continues to push me beyond my own expectations because she sees that I can become a great basketball player. She’s not afraid to hold me accountable but at the same time, she uplifts me and guides me towards the right path.
Q: Tell us a little about what sparked your original interest in basketball.
A: My original interest in basketball was sparked by having a family who loved the sport. We would attend professional games together as a family and watch the sport on TV. So when I began playing in my neighborhood rec league my mom even helped to coach my team. I was bred to love the game. I started competitive AAU basketball in 4th grade with a local team .That program is where I met some girls that I ended up playing AAU with for the next 4 years. That’s when I had my first taste of winning in basketball.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.
A: Before games, I usually try to fit in a quick nap. Whether it’s on the bus, traveling to away games or in the Junior Lounge here at Baldwin. Then, I listen to some music to get hyped up for the game.
Q: Who is your favorite basketball player, and why?
A: Female, Maya Moore; male, Lebron James. I chose these two players because they are both more than just athletes. They consistently use their platforms to help those in need.
Q: You wear No. 21 for both Baldwin basketball and your AAU basketball team. Why did you pick this number – does it have any special significance to you?
A: No. 21 is significant to me because my birthday is April 21 and I graduate in 2021. It’s just an amazing number.
Q: What is your favorite course at Baldwin? What do you think you’d like to major in at college? Is there a career path that particularly interests you at the present time?
A: My favorite course at Baldwin is definitely English. I just love my English teacher and I really enjoy the open discussion we have in class on the different texts we’ve read. I like being able to share my thoughts based on my interpretation of the text. In college, I think I’d like to major in Criminal Justice. As for my ideal career path, my first choice would be to play basketball professionally but if I’m not able to do so I would like to become a crime scene investigator.
Fun facts – Anajah Brown
Favorite book: Beloved.
Favorite author: Toni Morrison.
Favorite TV show: American Horror Story, Good Girls, Insatiable.
Favorite movie: The Secret Life of Bees.
Favorite athlete: Lebron James.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: 1942 Flows by Meek Mill.
Favorite team: Baldwin Polar Bears.
Favorite place to visit: Atlanta.
Favorite pre-game meal: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal or Chicken Caesar Wrap.
Person I most admire, and why: “The person I admire the most is my mother because she a strong independent black woman. By overcoming many challenges she inspires me to be my best self.”
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)
To view a gallery of the Main Line Girls Athletes of the Week from 2013 to present click here
