Pistoia, changing of the guard: double operation official
Double announcement at home Estra Pistoia Basket 2000. In fact, the Tuscan club announced that it has reached an agreement for the consensual termination of the contract with guard Jazz Johnson. “The club thanks the athlete for his contribution to the red and white cause both in the previous experience in the 2021/22 season and in the current one, taking the court 56 times and scoring a total of 994 points in the two championships, and wishes him the best professional and personal fortunes for the continuation of his career” the note reads.
Pistoia also announced, however, that it has reached an agreement, until next June 30, with U.S. guard Karvel Anderson, who, already in recent days, has been added to the team group at coach Stefano Sacripanti’s disposal. He will wear jersey number 31.
Born in Elkhart, Indiana, on June 3, 1991, 188cm by 86kg, he has already gained important high-level experience in both European and Asian leagues. After starting his basketball adventure in one of the high schools in his hometown, his college path sees him starring in two colleges: first at Glen Oaks Community College and then at Robert Morris University where he concludes the journey with remarkable figures in his last year, 2013/14 season, given his 20.8 point average with 44.5% from three-point range. Performances that attracted the attention of European basketball: in 2014/15 he arrived in Italy thanks to the call of Andrea Costa Imola where he will stay for two seasons collecting 17.8 points average per lace-up in 31′ of usage.
His excellent games played in Serie A2 earned him the call, in 2016/17, of the Bundesliga with the Eisbären Bremerhaven jersey (he finished with 11.6 points per game). From there he moves to France, first to Boulazac (15.2 points and 86% at the free) and then to BCM Gravelines Dunkirk (32′ per game with 42% from 3). In 2019/20 he flies to Spain where he wears the Urbas Fuenlabrada jersey (13 points average with 41% from 3-point range). After the break for Covid, he starts again in Turkey with Buyukçekmece (13.5 points in 30′ average) and then returns to Italy wearing for two years the Tezenis Verona jersey with which he wins the promotion to Serie A1 winning the A2 playoffs eliminating, in the semifinals, the very Pistoia Basket traveling throughout the year well over 15 points average per outing with 44% from 3), and reconfirms himself on the same levels also in the top series adding 3 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
In 2023/24 he moved to Astana in the VTB-League where he confirmed on particularly interesting numbers certified by almost 17 points per game average with almost 3 assists and 39% from 3, then disputing the playoffs of the Russian league with the Lokomotiv Kuban jersey totaling 14 games with 42.5% from the 6.75-meter arc. Last season, finally, he was confirmed by the same Lokomotiv taking the floor 22 times, traveling with 42% from three and 92% at the free before suffering an injury that did not allow him to finish the year.
The thorough medical evaluations carried out by the club in recent days on the player have confirmed that he has clinically recovered from his previous injury. Karvel Anderson will resume training with the rest of the team starting tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 3, and will be introduced over the next week.
