Eddie Barnes Quotations

We're going to have a little bit of fun, but we're going up there to win the national (championship). It's not a vacation to Disney, but we want to enjoy it so that they'll have something to remember for the rest of their lives.

He has the green light (and) he's had a green light all season long. What we've ask him to do is to make good shots.

He's handled the situation very well. It has helped him and helped us.

(Johnson) was a young man who was overlooked. He had a couple four-year schools recruiting him, but he played at a higher level than those schools were. . . . I needed a two guard, but as he got going in practice, I saw his instincts were better for a point guard. He's been a blessing for us ever since.

We did not want them to get inside the paint because they're the type of team that penetrates and breaks you down. We forced them into bad angles because our defensive pressure kept them out of the paint.

It's the epitome. That's what you work for all year long. I told these young men from the beginning that I felt our starting five was as good as anyone in the country and that if our bench developed, we had enough depth to compete for a national title.

It's quite an honor. I feel humbled to be national junior college coach of the year, but I'm sure there are quite a few people who deserve it more than me.

That's quite a compliment to Archie because a lot of junior college players can't make that play. A lot of young men would have forced that shot up.

I told everybody in the state they were one of the best teams, and they are. They're very, very good, very capable of winning this tournament. It was just fortunate today, we made a few more points than they did.

Every time we've had adversity, we've responded. That's one of the unique things about this team. When you have the unselfishness that they have, you're willing to step it up.

He's such a good player. I don't know if he missed a shot today. He hit everything he threw up.

Hopefully we're going to use it as a confidence builder more than anything else. We're going to have to play up to the level we're capable of.

I can't blame him even though I'd be disappointed. It's the best thing for him.