Anders Broman has more in common with a certain "Hunger Games" character than a lot of people might think.
"The Hunger Games," a best-selling trilogy and upcoming movie, features a young hero named Peeta Mellark. He's an intelligent athletic teenager, and an exceptional baker.
Anders is also very intelligent and athletic. He can bake, too. And while Anders hasn't helped lead a rebellion or fought to the death in an arena, like Peeta did, he can bake a killer cheesecake.
"I make a good peanut butter cup cheesecake," he says.
Along with baking, his other hobbies include water skiing and hanging out with his friends. For the past few years, he's been making a hobby out of setting basketball records, too.
Anders began his varsity basketball career at Lakeview Christian Academy in the seventh grade, and his freshman year he scored 1,000 points. A year later, as a 15-year-old sophomore, he became the youngest basketball player in Minnesota to reach 2,000 career points.
"It was fun (hitting 2,000 points), but more importantly it's about the team," Anders said. "I can't do it without my teammates or coaches, so they deserve just as much credit as I get. More importantly, I've got to get better every time I step out on the court and just make it a good workout. Whatever happens with the points happens, and I just have to go out there and play hard."
Another year and another thousand points later, Anders became the youngest basketball player in Minnesota to reach 3,000 career points.
"Yeah, that was another fun game, but I try not to think about that stuff," Anders said. "(I just try to) go out there and play and try to get better, and hopefully one day play in college."
Now a 16-year-old junior, he's got another year of high school basketball left. He averages 44.5 points per game, and he's already scored 3280 career points. That's the fifth highest career point total in Minnesota history. Kevin Moreen of Minnesota Transitions Charter graduated in 2010, and he earned the No. 1 spot in the record books when he scored 4,036 points throughout his high school basketball career. That means there's fewer than 800 points separating Anders from the top of the pile.
"That would be fun to (get 4,000 points), but that's just an individual accomplishment," Anders said. "I'd much rather go to State and make a state (tournament) run than get 4,000 points."
He's achieved a lot. He's set records and he's scored thousands of points on the basketball court, but ask him what his greatest accomplishment is and he says he doesn't have one -- yet.
"To be honest, I don't think I've gotten it yet," Anders said. "If we make it to State, then that will be the best accomplishment. But we haven't done that. I don't know if we will. Hopefully, we do this year, though."
With Anders and his younger brother, Bjorn Broman, out on the court, Lakeview Christian Academy may just have a shot at State. It's what Anders and Bjorn have been training for together since they were very young.
"(I remember) playing with my brother in a first and second grade league," Anders said. "He's two years younger than me. He's a freshman. He's a big part of my success, too. I couldn't do it without him. We're working out like every day with each other, pushing each other. So that helps a lot."
When Anders wasn't playing basketball with his brother during those early years, he played football, soccer, and baseball.
"I really liked football," Anders said, "but my school didn't have football when I got into high school, so then I just had to stick with basketball."
He grew up in a sporty family. His mom played softball and basketball in high school, and his dad, John Broman, was an Olympic ski jumper who competed in the 1980 Winter Olympics and the 1981 Ski Jumping World Cup. Anders' dad didn't encourage his kids to ski, and instead of following in his footsteps on the slopes his sons are dominating on the basketball court.
With some more hard work, Anders may continue his reign as one of the top players in the state and earn a college basketball scholarship. Aside from a shot at a state championship, that's his big goal. College basketball.
"I want to play college basketball at the highest level I can, but we'll see what happens," Anders said. "I'd go anywhere they'd take me."
If a basketball career past high school doesn't work out, Anders knows what he wants to do with his life.
"I actually want to be a personal trainer," Anders said. "Maybe even get into coaching, too. That would be awesome. That would be a dream come true."
