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articles : Barnes Right on Time
Barnes Right on Time
The NEW Marvin Barnes came off the airplane after a game in Indiana and found that both his cars would not start in the sub-zero St. Louis temperatures.
And he still made it to practice on time.
"I had to wait an hour at one gas station while they tried to get one car started," Marvin related proudly, "and when they couldn't get it going I got a ride to the station where my other car was being fixed. After another hour, they finally got it going and I made it to practice on time. I didn't even have time to go home first.
"That's the way I'm going to be now. On time."
That is the big news about Marvin this season. He has not been late to practice, he has not been late for an airplane since returning to the team following a court case in which he was involved in Providence that kept him out of the lineup for about two weeks.
"The owners want me to do it all the time (be on time)," he says. "Okay, I'll do that. I did it the other way. Now I'll do it the right way and see how it turns out."
But that isn't all the news on Marvin this season, or at least in the past few weeks. After an extremely slow start this season following his Rookie of the Year rookie year, he has once again become the devastating player that averaged 24 points and 15.6 rebounds a game last season and blocked almost two shots a game.
Through the first part of this season, Barnes was pulling in less than nine rebounds a game and scoring "only" about 18 points per contest. He blamed his slow start on financial problems and worries of the court case, which also kept him from getting into top shape.
"But I've got my wind now…I'm in shape," he says, "and I'm going to get even better as the year goes on. I'm working hard."
It's difficult to see that he can get too much better than the way he has been playing the past 13 games. During that time he has scored more than 30 points three times in that span, more like the player who scored more than 30 14 times and more than 50 once. And in the playoffs, he hit 41, 37, 35, 43, and 35.
All of this comes just in time for the All Star game, which is scheduled for Jan. 27 in Denver. Barnes, who has raised his season averages to 23.3 points and 11.5 rebounds with 46 blocks in 25 games, a .508 shooting accuracy from the field and .715 from the free throw line, appears to be headed for another All Star berth.
He started on the East team that beat the West in San Antonio last season, won Rookie of the Year honors and then was selected Second Team All-ABA. The All Star team and All League honors seem within reach now that he has gotten his game and head working together again. He and Ron Boone again appear certain to make the All Star team from the Spirits.
There has never been any doubt about Barnes talent. Every coach who has seen him play, every player who has played against or with him will quickly agree that he is one of the most talented performers in basketball with his quickness and tremendous jumping ability and timing on rebounds. He has become even more valuable with the Spirits running much more than they did early in the season.
"Marvin has been a tremendous player since he returned," says Coach Rod Thorn. "He's done everything we've asked. He's trying to play with the other guys in a team concept, and he's been on time for everything. What more can you ask?"
"I'm ready to go now," Marvin says with that engaging smile of his. "I'm ready to do it on and off the court."
(This article appeared originally in a Spirits of St. Louis Official Program, January 11, 1976.)
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