On Sunday, just two days before trying to win the third state championship of his high school basketball career, Arizona Wildcats signee Alex Barcello went to a doctor because of a high fever.
On Monday, continued flu-like symptoms kept him out of class at Tempe's Corona del Sol.
On Tuesday, Barcello attended school, went over to GCU arena for the title game against Basha, dropped 18 points in the first half ... and then threw up at halftime.
He was a minute late to get on the court in the second half as a result.
That was the only minute he did not play.
As much as Barcello pushed, though, it wasn't quite enough to help the undersized Aztecs take home a trophy. The physical strain, plus the pressure defense Corona del Sol coach Neil MacDonald said he deployed out of necessity, may have led to Barcello scoring just two points in the fourth quarter.
Basha won 75-65.
βAlex wonβt say anything because heβs Alex, but Alex was sick,β MacDonald said Wednesday. βWe held them to seven in the third quarter and he was a big part of that. He got out and pressured the ball. He was a constant presence on the ball defensively but that comes at a price.β
The loss was a tough end to Barcelloβs decorated high school career. He won two state championships with Corona del Sol as a freshman and sophomore and then β in part because highly regarded forward Marvin Bagley transferred in the fall of 2015 β the Aztecs fell short in the quarterfinals in 2016 and the finals this season.
UA coach Sean Miller left impressed anyway, after sitting next to Alex's father, Edward, during the game.
βCoach Miller thought he played very well,β Edward Barcello said via text message. βIt meant a lot to Alex and us as a family that coach Miller was there.β
Besides, just reaching the 6A final was an accomplishment for Barcello and the Aztecs, whose run of four straight titles ended in 2016 after Bagley left. MacDonald said they have had to rely on a 6-foot-3 center this season but rode the backcourt talents of Barcello and Vanderbilt-bound Saban Lee to a record of 26-4.
While MacDonald said Barcello has been a steady player throughout his high school career he noted a bump up defensively this season β another area in which Miller is likely to be happy.
βThat was probably his biggest improvement,β MacDonald said. βThereβs never been many holes in his game but he improved in every category from last year. I would say his off- and on-ball defense were the two things that stood out.β
Offensively, Barcelloβs production was no surprise. Known as a high-motor point guard who can score or pass to whatever level is needed, Barcello often was asked to score at Corona del Sol.
He left as the schoolβs leading scorer, having broken the old mark of 2,118 points during the regular season, and averaged 24.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting about 89 percent from the free-throw line.
MacDonald said he expects Barcello will play more of a truer point guard role at UA, but with a shot that will be respected by defenses.
βHeβs the guy that you want the ball in his hands,β MacDonald said. βHe did what was needed. He was our best passer our freshman year. He sees passes other people just donβt see and heβs strong enough to deliver them. He did what we needed him to do (scoring) but heβs still a tremendous ballhandler and passer.β
Barcello was one of four players Miller added in the Fall signing period and the UA coach says he expects to add one or two more in the spring (five-star recruits Trevon Duval and Brian Bowen took visits last weekend).
Hereβs a look at how the three other fall UA signees finished their seasons:Β
