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 Barnes garners national basketball recognition

   By JJ Ossola
   IV Leader Sports writer, Nov 9, 2006

    Illinois Valley Community College’s women’s basketball sophomore guard Markita Barnes, has been named preseason third team All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association.
    “It’s a great honor for her and for the team,” said head coach Steve Crick. He went on to say, “We have had players get recognized at the end of the season but Markita is our first player to get recognition before the season starts.”
    Returning sophomore forward, Erin Wiedmann said of Barnes, “She definitely deserves it. She brings a positive attitude and her basketball skills are outstanding. She is always very encouraging in practice, always wanting to try things over and over until they are perfect. She is always willing to help people out.”
    For Barnes basketball has been a part of her life since first grade where she learned the fundamentals on the Salvation Army team. From there she went on to play at the Boys and Girls club in Beloit until starting for her junior high team. Barnes has always played guard, and when she started for the Beloit Memorial Purple Knights she started to get attention for the skills that she had been honing. Barnes said, “My best year of high school was when we went to state my sophomore year and I got the school record for assists. It was 127, I think.”
    Barnes was named 1st team, all conference her junior year where her team lost the game that would have sent them to state again. Senior year she was named player of the year, team most valuable player, all conference 1st team and honorable mention for the all state team.
    Barnes had been recruited heavily by junior colleges and had seriously considered going to Kirkwood Community College but held out in the hopes of going to a four-year college.
    Barnes said, “I waited too long. They filled my spot by the time I got back to them. To be honest, I don’t remember why I chose to go to IVCC but I am glad that I did. I made some great friends here.”
    Barnes said, “My greatest fear right now is that this will be it. I want to get to the next level and play at a Division I school.” Crick said, “This will definitely draw attention from four-year schools.”
    Some information for this article was compiled by Austin Rosencrans.

 

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