Biography
By Jim Hague
It could very well go down as Rutgers-Newark men’s basketball coach Joe Loughran’s best recruiting job to date – and Loughran really didn’t have to do a single thing.
Three years ago, Chadd Barnes thoroughly believed he was headed to a Division I school on a scholarship. After all, the talented guard out of University High School in Newark was ranked among the top five guards in New Jersey. He was being recruited by schools like Seton Hall, James Madison, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Norfolk State.
In fact, Barnes had given a verbal commitment to Norfolk State in Virginia, when FDU pursued Barnes further and offered him a scholarship.
“I was all set to go to FDU,” Barnes said. “But then, they offered a JUCO (junior college) guard a scholarship and told me that I didn’t qualify (academically). I was really upset. I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
Barnes received some offers from some junior colleges, but in his heart, he wanted to remain close to home.
At the same time, Loughran was recruiting two of Barnes’ high school teammates at University, namely Laquan Jones, who ended up going to R-N, and Antwan Hayes, who eventually went on to the University of New Haven in Connecticut.
But Barnes said that he never spoke with Loughran about coming to Rutgers-Newark.
“I saw him at my games, but I never talked to him,” Barnes said. “He said that he just thought I was going to go D-I.”
“I honestly didn’t think we had a shot with him,” Loughran said. “I obviously saw him play a lot in high school and liked the way he played. But I thought he was going someplace else.”
But when the FDU deal fell apart, Barnes made one call on his own – to Loughran.
“I didn’t want to go away,” Barnes said. “I just didn’t want to go someplace far. I told him that it was either Rutgers-Newark or JUCO. It was close to home and I just felt comfortable with everyone, so I made the decision to go to Rutgers.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Once Barnes gave Loughran his word that he was all set on becoming a Scarlet Raider, Loughran told him about what he wanted in return.
“He told me that it was a four-year program and that if I was coming, I had to stay,” Barnes said. “A lot of people thought that I would stay one year and go someplace else, but I wasn’t going to do that. I wasn’t going to another program. I was going to stay right here.”
“Obviously, he was familiar with our players and our program, but I told him right away that it just was not fair to the program to come here for a year and leave,” Loughran said.
“I never take a kid for one year. But I got to know Chadd through my former assistant Brian Wischusen (currently the head coach at Rutgers-Camden) and I gained some trust with Chadd through Brian. I felt that Chadd was going to stay with us.”
Barnes made his presence felt right away at R-N. He was named the Co-Rookie of the Year in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, averaging nearly 12 points per game.
He continued his fine play into his sophomore year, when he averaged nearly 18 points per game, earning First Team All-NJAC, All-Metropolitan Writers Association and All-Atlantic District by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
More importantly, the Scarlet Raiders won 18 games in each of Barnes’ first two years with the program.
Now, as a junior, Barnes has developed into a team leader. His scoring average might be slightly lower than what he produced a year ago (averaging 16 points per game through 19 games this season), but he’s doing a host of other things.
“I’ve changed my game a lot,” Barnes said. “I’m a lot smarter and I try to get more people involved. I’m getting more assists now. I know one of my major roles on this team is to score the ball, but I do have the ability to see the floor and make the big pass. I’m trying to do more. I think I’m being more aggressive on the offensive end, taking the ball to the basket with authority. I’m also shooting better shots and shooting at a higher average. That’s important.”
“I think he’s become more aware of things and how things need to get done,” Loughran said. “I’ve developed a good relationship with Chadd and he’s definitely made some major strides since his freshman year. He’s become more vocal and he’s making more of an initiative on the defensive end. He’s become a better player and he keeps working at it. It has been a natural progression.”
Loughran knows how important Barnes is to the overall success of his program, both on and off the court.
“He’s helped to keep the program at a higher level and as one of the top teams in the league,” Loughran said. “But the bottom line is when I go see a local game and see a Newark kid, the first thing they ask about is how Chadd Barnes is doing. They all know Chadd and he has added instant credibility. It helps the recruiting greatly.”
It helps, even if Loughran really didn’t have to recruit Barnes. Barnes just fell into the coach’s lap.
“Sometimes you work hard at the recruiting and other times, something just pops up,” Loughran said. “We were fortunate with Chadd, no question.”
Barnes is majoring in criminal justice at R-N. He doesn’t know what the future holds in terms of a career, but he knows he wants to play basketball for as long as possible.
“Right now, I can’t speak on what might happen,” Barnes said. “My focus is on what I can do now. I’m just trying to make every shot I take.”
Barnes was asked if there was any pressure on him, playing college basketball just a few blocks from where he grew up.
“Being from Newark, there’s always someone who remembers seeing me in high school and thinking I should be doing good,” Barnes said. “Maybe it was some kid who I played against in high school or someone else who just saw me play. I have to live up to that hype and it’s hard sometimes. But I have to be ready for anything. Coach Loughran taught me a lot about maturing and keeping things in perspective. He’s really helped me come together.”
Just recently, Barnes received a ball from the R-N athletic department for becoming the latest in the Scarlet Raider 1,000-point club.
“It’s a great honor and I was happy to get my 1,000 points in only three years,” Barnes said. “I was able to get my 1,000 points in two years of high school and got the 1,000 in my third year of college. I like the way I’ve been able to pick up my game when I need to.”
And perhaps, if the ascent continues, Barnes will sit atop the school’s all-time scoring list by the end of next season. It’s within reach for the local kid who stayed home.
So Barnes is happy he made that fateful phone call three years ago.
“I’m glad I stayed close to home and that I came here,” Barnes said. “It feels good that I’m able to do this well and that I stayed home. It’s a good thing I stayed home.”
It’s a good thing for Barnes and the entire R-N men’s basketball program.
