Adia Barnes has had plenty of challenges in her four seasons as Arizona’s head coach.
She’s laid the foundation for success, got players to buy in to her vision, adjusted her teaching style to fit her talent, found new ways to motviate her players and developed a new style of play.
None of it prepared her for the challenge she’s currently facing. Yet, true to form, Barnes is optimistic about the upcoming months and next season despite the coronavirus pandemic.
“I am very confident that we’ll play basketball,” Barnes said.
But when? Well, that’s complicated. Barnes conceded that the start of the season might be pushed back a little and isn’t sure just what it will look like, but she has faith.
Arizona fans do, too. To date, the UA has added 700 new season ticket accounts.
The Wildcats have plenty to look forward to. They were recently picked No. 7 nationally in ESPN’s way-too-early poll for the 2020-21 season. The UA has added graduate transfer Trinity Baptiste, a 6-foot forward who claimed the ACC’s Sixth Player of the Year Award after averaging 9.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game at Virginia Tech. The new addition could boost the Wildcats into the top-5 in some polls.
Regardless, Arizona figures to be ranked as high as its ever been ranked in the preseason poll. The UA was picked No. 15 in the 1997-98 season, and ended up in the Sweet 16.
Could the 2020-21 squad go even further? It’s possible. Barnes said practices will be more competitive with Shaina Pellington, whom she said is “one of the most competitive people I know,” and two transfers — Indiana’s Bendu Yeaney and Baptiste — who are also hungry and ready to show what they’ve got.
The hunted
The attention — and expectations — will be new for the UA, and Barnes said she’s unsure how the Wildcats might respond.
“We don’t know what it looks like to be the hunted,” Barnes said. “I would have been a lot more comfortable if we played the (NCAA) Tournament, went deep and had some of that experience because I think that would make things easier for this year, because now we’re going to be an uncharted territory. That’s kind of that’s the part I don’t love.
“What I love is that it shows how our program has evolved. … I think you’re gonna see super driven, you’re going to see high expectation and I think we’ll be a lot better defensively. We’re going to get after it — we just have to elevate our game. I’m curious to see how we’re going respond because I don’t know, because we’ve never done it. I’ve done it as a player, but they’ve never done that. I have to just be a leader and show them how to do it.”
Barnes is also spending more time planning scenarios for when her players come back to UA after the long break. It’s unfair to expect Arizona’s players to be in game shape, Barnes said.
“My worry is that people are going to sit in the house for four months, and then we’re going to be way behind because normally, we would have six, eight more weeks to train,” Barnes said. “I think the concern is injuries. We have to be really smart. … On the flip side, what if it’s a blessing, because people get a mental break?
“They get to not worry about basketball. I mean, you think of Harvard, in the Ivy League, you don’t work out all summer. Who knows?
“For us to start later, it affects us tremendously. Because we’re putting a lot of stuff. I’m also thinking of a way in case I don’t have everybody. So those are things. Or if I get people (back) in July, what does that look like? I’m working through those things.
“Because if I get everybody in July, I’ll do workouts for a month in July. But what does that look like because they haven’t done anything for months? I’m trying to put different scenarios to help us be our best.”
More on Barnes, Baptiste
Barnes knew right away she wanted Baptiste to join the Wildcats. The coach wasn’t sure that the feeling was mutual.
Baptiste hails from Tampa, Florida, and initially said she wanted to stay closer to home.
“I did not think we’d have a chance,” Barnes said. “I know she’s a beast. I was watching her energy. I was so excited. I was like, ‘Whoa, she’s like a missing piece that we need.’
“I called her and we had a really good conversation. And the next day she texted me and she was like ‘Oh, coach, I’m going to stay close to home.’”
Banes was disappointed. And while Baptiste didn’t necessarily leave Arizona at the altar, it felt that way.
“Then,” Barnes said, “she called me back.”
Baptiste had a change of heart.
“She started watching more film, just talking about what we’re doing here. She was really excited,” Barnes said. “That’s never happened to me.”
Who wants to play?
It’s not easy scheduling nonconference games when you win. And when you build a homecourt advantage with rival fans, convincing teams to visit is even harder.
Barnes said the Wildcats’ nonconference games “got harder to fill” as the team rose in the ranking last season.
“People don’t want to come to McKale to play. That’s never been a problem I’ve had,” she said. “Before, people were calling off the chart, like everybody was trying to play us.”
Barnes said the UA still has one game to fill.
She’ll wait to see how the coronavirus affects travel before filling it.
“I’m going to try to get someone who is close once they cancel a game to come play us,” she said.
‘Sunday Night Live’
Barnes will host another session of “Sunday Night Live!” on Instagram Sunday at 4 p.m. This week’s guest is Dominique McBryde. Last week it was McDonald. To follow along and ask McBryde questions, follow @Arizonawbasketball or @AdiaB32 on Instagram.
