Sportlight

Zech Barnes looks forward to Sections

By Bond Brungard
Posted 2/22/19

Zech Barnes wants to play basketball next year at a four-year or junior college, and the senior guard is working to finish his season at Newburgh Free Academy before taking the next step in his …

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Sportlight

Zech Barnes looks forward to Sections

Posted

Zech Barnes wants to play basketball next year at a four-year or junior college, and the senior guard is working to finish his season at Newburgh Free Academy before taking the next step in his life.

“I’ve been grinding,” said Barnes, last week, prior to playing Kingston.

Barnes started playing basketball when he was about five years old, and he came up the varsity team as a junior. Under Frank Dinnocenzio, who coached the team to a 2009 state Class AA title, the Goldbacks have landed a postseason berth this season, and Barnes is hopeful for a strong finish during the next month.

“This year we have new pieces, and I feel like we’ll have a better chance at sections this year,” he said. “So I am looking forward to that.”

Against Kingston, Barnes scored 9 points in the loss, which dropped the Goldbacks to 11-7.

“Zech goes in spurts. He’s a streaky guy. He’ll get two or three shots and slow down a little bit, and he’ll hit another couple of shots,” said Dinnocenzio. “He’s doing alright.”

As the Goldbacks grind away the remainder of their season, Barnes and his teammates get to play in the present, try to do the best they can do, before it vanishes into the future.

“I have been playing with these guys since they were little,” he said,

Barnes has enjoyed playing for the Goldbacks and knows that constant work is part of helping his team. He said he could improve his decision-making and sharpen his defense to help the Goldbacks during the end of the regular season and in the postseason.

“Just to play harder and do anything to help my team,” said Barnes, of looking forward.

When he gets to college, Barnes wants to study physical education.