By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech men's basketball head coach John Pelphrey officially announced the signing of Anthony Pritchard to a national letter of intent to play for the Golden Eagles beginning with the 2021-22 season.
A native of Tulsa, Okla., the 6-foot-3 Pritchard will look to expand on a fantastic three years while playing point guard at Daniel Webster High School, having averaged 18.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists through 82 games leading into his senior campaign.
"Anthony has a great story," Pelphrey said. "Our entire coaching staff has a lot of respect and admiration for who he is as a person and the way he competes and battles life every single day. We believe that he has the DNA and character to fit in here with the rest of our basketball team, and we all know how important that is to us with regards to the core values of character and leadership."
As a junior during the 2019-20 campaign, Pritchard led Webster to its first Green Country Conference title since 1992 and the team's second appearance in the 4A state tournament in three years.
"What drew me to Tennessee Tech was the relationship the staff built with me throughout my recruitment," Pritchard expressed. "They truly showed me how much they wanted me on board.
"The most appealing thing about the coaching staff is just how driven they are to help you become a better basketball player, a better student, and most importantly, a better man. They show how badly they want you to be successful."
Named GCC MVP and to the All-Conference First Team, he averaged 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 3.8 steals. He also claimed Tulsa World All-State and All-World First Team honors while shooting over 50 percent from the field and 70 percent from the charity stripe.
"He's a young man who is a curious learner, and even though he's had some success as a basketball player up to this point in time, you would not know that by talking to him," Pelphrey explained. "He's constantly wanting to learn, grow, and get better. I think those are some things that really attracted us to him early on. The way he thinks, approaches the game, and approaches life match what we look for."
In 29 games as a sophomore, Pritchard set Webster's all-time single-season scoring record, accounting for 686 points for an average of 23.7 per game. He knocked down 75 triples at a 33.9 percent clip for the year while connecting on 74.4 percent of his free-throw attempts. He added 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.5 steals per game for good measure.
"I'm looking forward to continuing to grow as a player and learn more about the game at the next level," Pritchard explained. "I'm excited about playing with the guys and learning from the coaches. And of course, I'm ready to get on the court and play."
Graphics by Ezra Pinzur
