After enjoying an incredible late lunch at Blue Sage Grille on Saturday afternoon, I drove seven minutes up the road to Council Rock South High School so I could see Princeton recruit Will Barrett and Central Bucks South play.
This was my first chance to see Barrett in person. Detailed notes about this future Tiger follow after the jump. For features on all six members of Princeton's 2009 recruiting class, including interviews with their high school and AAU coaches, click here.
Playing their second game in two days, the Titans won their 14th straight, racing to a 21-2 lead after one quarter.
Barrett did not disappoint, scoring his team's first seven points. He ran the floor well and laid home a lead pass in stride on the right side to start the game, put back an offensive board to double his team's lead and sized up a deep three off the wing with ease.
While Barrett is 6'8" and ostensibly playing center for the Titans, he is not an inside force. Despite being the tallest player on the floor, Barrett rarely posted up against smaller players, playing mostly on the outside. The one time he did try a post move, he quickly went to his right and blew past his man for two.
Using his quickness, Barrett looked to jump passing lanes on the perimeter, but never overplayed to the point that he was a defensive liability. Barrett scored inside and absorbed contact, then converted his only free throw attempt of the game. By the time Barrett came out for the first time his team was up 24-2 early in the second quarter and he had scored 12 points on 5-7 shooting.
What I might have liked best about Barrett in this game was his passing ability. Barrett threw four spot on, quickly released passes, including two across his body off the break. All would have all been assists to teammates open next to the basket if each recipient had not missed their point blank opportunities or traveled. On the last of these plays Barrett timed an offensive rebound on the weak side perfectly then found another Titan as he floated out of bounds, but the shot was off the mark.
Barrett showed a soft touch on two midrange jumpers in the second half, good on the first and just short on the second from the free throw line.
On another fast break for Central Bucks South, a Titan guard tried an alley oop to Barrett. While the pass was well behind him, Barrett still had the athletic ability to reach back with his left hand while high in the air and tip the ball up towards the rim.
Barrett finished a three-on-one with ease, as his teammate left a drop pass for a streaking Barrett down the lane, who dunked effortlessly with his right hand.
On Central Bucks South's next possession Barrett stole the ball on the arc, threw an outlet pass and calmly hit his second three when he got the ball back in rhythm.
Barrett's final basket came on a drive through three Council Rock South Golden Hawks from the top of the key to the rim in traffic.
The Titans won 60-36 and Barrett was unassumingly dominant, shooting 9-15 from the field for a game high 21 points, 2-4 from outside the arc, 1-1 at the free throw line. He added four rebounds, a block and a steal by my unofficial count, sitting almost all of the fourth quarter as the game was well in hand.
Conclusions, based on a very small sample size: Barrett is a graceful, lean, athletic player with a very quick first step who could perhaps be a wing player at the collegiate level. He is smooth with the ball in his hand and on the perimeter, but will need to work on his comfort level in the low block. Barrett's upper frame is sound, with room for extra muscle, but he will have to add lower leg strength to avoid being pushed around in college. I am excited to see how Barrett's slashing and shooting skills for a big man will compliment those of a bruiser like Ian Hummer, whom I wrote about last week. Those two could be very fun to watch together over the next four seasons.
