Billy Ray Barnes III was named National Player of the Week for Division III by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) on December 3, 2024.
Barnes is a Junior Wing who has averaged 16.4 points, 3.3 assists, 33.4 minutes and has a 52.3% shooting percentage over Dean’s first ten games of the season. With an 8-2 record, the Bulldogs are off to their best start in program history.
Barnes started playing basketball in 4th grade, so he is not short on experience despite this being his first year with Dean. He has been a key addition to the Bulldogs starting five this year and is making an impact.
“We work harder than everybody, I think that’s our mental edge when we come into the game. We outwork them, in the weight room every day, 2-hour practices. We were in better shape than everybody, they couldn’t hang with us, so I think that’s what it was. We just gotta get back to being hungry again,” Barnes said.
Barnes chose Dean due to the communication between him and Head Coach Joe Cabral. “I had a lot of guys recruiting me, but nobody was recruiting me as hard as Cabral. He was hitting me up almost every day, checking in on my games, stuff like that. I could tell that he wanted me to be here. I always wanted to be where I’m wanted.” Barnes said.
He mentioned that this team reminded him of his first year at JUCO. “We had a really good team, stacked with talent, and we were able to put it together. This year it feels like we still have that talent, but we’re more together than that first team that I played with.”
The USBWA is a group of writers that gives out scholarships and awards to basketball athletes all around the country. Every week, they name men and women’s players of the week in Division III basketball. Barnes earned this recognition for the week of November 24th – December 1st when he became the third Division III player this season to notch a triple double.
In a win against the University of New England, Barnes filled the stat sheet with 27 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 steals. For this effort, he was also named GNAC Player of the Week.
Barnes has started in all ten games this season and has been a big contributor to the team’s success this year so far. The Bulldogs are now 8-2 going into winter break with their next game being against Regis College (5-3) on January 4th.
Barnes believes the Bulldogs have what it takes this season to go all the way. “Win it all, whatever is on the table, we want all of it. We don’t want to share it with anybody. We want it to be us at the end that’s holding that trophy, playing the best and being the best. We make history together, that’s what we really want.” Barnes said.
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