Meet the Matadors: TJ Starks & Amound Anderson

The CSUN Men's Basketball team is sporting a new look this season with 10 student-athletes joining the team and looking to make an impact in 2020-21. With the start of the season rapidly approaching, GoMatadors.com had an opportunity to speak with the new faces on the team to talk goals for the season, high school, basketball memories and interests.

#2 - TJ Starks, Guard, Redshirt Junior

Originally from Oak Cliff, Texas, TJ Starks is the most experienced newcomer on the roster with 59 career collegiate games played at the Division I level. Starks enjoyed two strong seasons at Texas A&M from 2017-19 where he averaged 11.0 points and 2.8 assists per game. The 6-2 guard shot 37.7 percent from the field and knocked down 63-of-233 (27.0 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc. He also averaged 2.1 rebounds per game and racked up 45 steals over the two seasons.
TJ_Starks_20

His sophomore season with the Aggies produced career averages of 12.3 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds as he started 18 of 27 games. Starks is perhaps best known for his freshman season where he helped guide Texas A&M to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 13.7 points and 4.7 assists in three NCAA Tournament games, highlighted by a 21-point performance where the Aggies upset North Carolina in the second round.

Starks earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2017-18 and was a Preseason All-SEC Second-Team selection the following year.

GoMatadors.com: How have practices been going thus far over the past few weeks?

TJ Starks: Practice is well. We are getting better every day. The older guys are pulling the new guys along and helping them feel comfortable within the system.

GM: What made CSUN the right school for you?

TS: CSUN is the right school for me because it's an opportunity for me to take a bad situation and turn it into something great. It's a learning experience for me to help build character and improve my teammate skills.

GM: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

TS: My goals this season are to do whatever I can to help the team have a successful winning season. My personal goals will take care of themselves if I just play the game like I know how.

GM: Your Sweet 16 run at Texas A&M must have been an exciting time in your college career. What made the team you were on so special and how were you guys able to make it as far as you did in the NCAA Tournament?

TS: The Sweet 16 was a fun time. I do consider the North Carolina game my best college game. I played with a group of guys who understood the offense and had tons of confidence. It's hard to stop a team with multiple people having high confidence.

GM: You had an excellent high school career at Lancaster High School in Texas where you helped lead the school to a state championship. How has your game evolved from back then to now?

TS: Back in high school, teams rarely played defense. All I knew was score the ball but as I got to college I began playing with people just as good or better than me. I had to learn to increase my passing skills and get my other teammates involved in the game.

GM: Last season, you were forced to sit out the season and redshirt due to NCAA transfer rules, what did you learn during that year away from playing games?

TS: What I learned while sitting out last year was how to train my mind to do things I didn't want to do. It's easy to take days off being a redshirt so I learned to tap into my inner-self and push myself to do what others wouldn't do.

GM: Last season, you had an opportunity to practice with the team over the last three months of the season. What type of advantage did that give you going into this season?

TS: Being that I was here last year, it's been easier to teach the new guys the offense. It put me at an advantage because I can figure out ways to outthink my opponent in practice.

GM: Who is your favorite athlete?

TS: Kevin Durant

GM: What is your favorite sport other than basketball?

TS: Football

GM: What is your favorite app to use?

TS: Instagram

GM: What is your favorite TV show?

TS: Power

#11 - Amound Anderson, Guard, Freshman

Hailing from Hawthorne, Calif., Amound Anderson brings to the Matadors plenty of scoring as a true freshman. Anderson is coming off an outstanding high school career at Leuzinger High School where he was named first-team all-state and a McDonald's All-American nominee.
Amound_Anderson_20

Anderson was the top player in the Bay League last season, averaging 26.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. He filled up the stat sheet consistently for Leuzinger, eventually tallying over 2,100 career points as he averaged 21 points in his prep career.

Earning awards were nothing new for the 6-3 guard. Anderson earned all-league honors over his last three seasons and he helped the Olympians to a Pioneer League title in 2018. Perhaps his most memorable prep moment came when he scored 50 points in a triple-overtime game against King/Drew High School, who was led by current teammate Fidelis Okereke. His 50 point-performance was the most scored in school history since Russell Westbrook tallied 51 in 2006.

GoMatadors.com: How has training camp been going for you?

Amound Anderson: It has been pretty good. I'm learning the offense and defense as well as learning how to play off the ball.

GM: Why was CSUN the right school for you during the recruitment process?

AA: CSUN was the right school for me because it wasn't too close to home but it wasn't far either so my family and friends are able to come to see me play. We also have a legendary coaching staff here who I can learn so much from.

GM: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

AA: The goal for this upcoming season is to win the conference and hopefully be able to play in the NCAA Tournament.

GM: What are your favorite memories of high school and most stick out?

AA: My favorite memory of high school was when I scored 41 points as a sophomore in the CIF playoffs. It was really our last time making the playoffs and our team was really good. We had a great bond.

GM: Take us through that 50-point game you had versus King/Drew. How were you so successful on the scoring end that game and have you reminded Fidelis of that game any time recently?

AA: Well for the whole month of December I averaged 30 points per game and coming back from the Tarkanian Classic in Vegas I had just scored 41 against Pinnacle (Ariz.). So when I came back home to play at the Damien Classic I was on fire already. As for the 50 point game, I didn't even know I scored that much until after the game when all of the scorekeepers ran up to tell me. It was an early morning game and a lot of D1 coaches were there. My coach gave me the green light and just let me go. And yes, Fidelis has heard it multiple times since we've been at CSUN.

GM: What did it mean to you to be the first person at your school to score 50 points since Russell Westbrook?

AA: It feels really good, I think that is a big accomplishment and we both did it our senior year. He's someone that I really look up to and I got to play for his AAU during my sophomore year. I learned a lot from him. There was a guy by the name of Khelcey Barrs who scored 50 as a sophomore, unfortunately, he passed away before he got to the big leagues but he was really a special talent. RIP Khelcey Barrs.

GM: What's your favorite sport besides basketball?

AA: My favorite sport besides basketball, that one is tough to decide but I played football and baseball as well so I kind of like them equally.

GM: Who is your favorite athlete?

AA: I have a couple of favorite athletes but my number one is probably Kawhi Leonard because he doesn't say too much and he lets his game do the talking. He's about his business and he's from California.

GM: What's your favorite sports movie?

AA: Blue Chips.

GM: What's a show you are currently watching or have seen during quarantine?

AA: I'm currently watching Power but my favorite show to watch during quarantine is the Netflix series Last Chance U.

#UniteTheValley

Meet the Matadors: TJ Starks & Amound Anderson

Players Mentioned

Amound Anderson

Fidelis Okereke

TJ Starks

Related Videos