Growing up, it was a dream for brothers Allin and Anthony Blunt to play on the same college basketball team together. Luckily for them, 2020-21 would mark the year they made that dream a reality.
 
Two years after older brother Allin made his debut for the River Hawks, his younger brother Anthony followed in his footsteps and joined the UMass Lowell roster, as well.
 
"It was definitely something we dreamt of," Allin said of playing on the same college basketball team as his brother. "We've always wanted to play on the highest stage together on the same team."
 
"As kids, we always played together," added Anthony. "To continue to play together at the highest level possible, that's been big, especially for our father. He's very proud."
 
Interestingly, while this was a lifelong goal shared by the Blunt family, the fact that it worked out this way is more of a coincidence than a planned-out occurrence.
 
When asked about whether Allin committing to UMass Lowell impacted his own future commitment, Anthony said initially it didn't.
 
"I didn't think that way," Anthony explained. "I still had other interest and was looking at other schools. I think as time went on, though, I saw UMass Lowell being a better option for me."
 
Regarding UMass Lowell being the best option to fulfill their college basketball dreams, both Allin and Anthony said they committed to the school for the same reasons: the coaches, the opportunity, and the River Hawk environment.
 
"When we came for my visit, we were just comfortable," Allin commented. "It felt like a family vibe as soon as we got here and then Coach Lou (Hinnant) also being from Maryland and a couple guys on the team being from where I'm from definitely played into that decision. But, I would say most importantly, was definitely the family vibe. My parents felt comfortable knowing that I would be watched and taken care of by the coaches and all."
 
"Ultimately, when the opportunity presented itself to me, it was a no-brainer," Anthony chimed in. "Especially with Allin being an upperclassman, I've had a lot of time to be up here and build relationships with the coaches already, so it was also a family vibe for me, as well."
 
For some people, it might be irritating to spend as much time with your sibling as the Blunt brothers do. However, this hasn't been the case for Allin and Anthony, who agree that being around each other so often has made them closer.
 
"If anything, our trust has definitely gotten better and stronger for each other, and then the chemistry is just getting better each day," Allin admitted.
 
"I know his spots and he knows my spots," Anthony said. "He knows my game and I know his game, so putting us together on the floor, I feel like we play very well together."
 
Anthony also considers Allin to be his "hardest critic," something he believes pushes him to get better individually every day.
 
Since Anthony joined the River Hawk squad, Allin says he also feels extra motivated to be the best basketball player he can be.
 
"You want to do well because you don't want your brother to outshine you, but it goes both ways, so he's going to do his best and I will do my best. So, there's definitely a lot of motivation that goes into it."
 
Despite playing different positions, being in different classes and having different levels of experience playing college basketball, both Allin and Anthony seemed to agree on who they believed to be the most talented Blunt.
 
"All-around, I'd say it's me," Allin joked. "He would say it's me, too."
 
Coincidentally enough, Anthony did agree.
 
"Honestly, I would say as of right now, Allin may be the better player just because I feel like he may have more of an effect on the game, but in a year, it's me," Anthony stated. "This is my year to get accustomed to the game. I'm positive that next year, I'm coming different."
 
As for what we can expect from the Blunt brothers in the future, it is clear they have one goal in mind: to make the most of their time together at UMass Lowell.           
 
"For me, it's just making sure Anthony does the best he can and I'm going to give him the blueprint," Allin said. "This is my third year, his first, and I just basically want to lay out a plan for him that will make him more successful than I was."
 
"Honestly, I just want to win a championship this year as a freshman," concluded Anthony. "I want to make the most of us being here together because we only got two years."
 

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