Stephen Barber, Jr 6'1 170 2022 Glenvar HS, Salem VA / Twin Hoops AAU
Stephen is an athletically gifted, do-it-all floor general who combines a unique mix of physicality and creativity attacking the rim. His smooth shooting stroke and deft touch a sharp contrast to his bullish yet slippery drives to the rim where he shrugs off contact and is a highly efficient finisher. He won’t hesitate to throw it down on you if you challenge him at the rim and he is an explosive leaper! He shows good speed in the open floor with the ball in his hands and demonstrates excellent vision and decision making skills. Stephen does a great job mixing in scoring and distributing the basketball. He has uncanny vision and his passing skills are next level. He understands how to get the ball to his scorers where they are a threat and he is highly unselfish. Not overly explosive with his first step yet decisive, he does a great job using his powerful frame to beat defenders and to create separation.
Stephen attacks space aggressively and has the athleticism, quickness, and power to finish over and around bigger defenders, a fearless and punishing finisher. He's so effective on the drive because he attacks space so decisively yet has the ability to end his drive abruptly and elevate into his pull-up jumper at the drop of a dime and knocks down shots off the dribble at an impressive rate. Comfortable and effective in tight spaces because of his physical tools but Stephen is also a skilled and fundamentally sound offensive player who can carry a team for long stretches with his scoring but also uses his dribble intelligently and can impact the game as a facilitator. He can draw extra defenders and find cutters or collapse defenses and kick the ball out to the perimeter and really demonstrates great court presence. Too strong for most defenders who try to crowd him, yet if you give him any breathing room he can bury the jumper in the blink of an eye and has deep three-point range. Stephen gets great uplift and his release is high, fluid allowing him to get his shot off over taller defenders. He recently buried 3 three-pointers as part of a 27 point performance in a region playoff game for Glenvar High School. He hit a 61-foot jumper to win a playoff game at the buzzer, had a 30 point game in a mid-January win, and followed that up with a career-high 36 points in a January 29th game so he has a flair for the spectacular as well! Stephen averages over 23 points, 3.5 assists and 6 rebounds per game.
He is an exhaustive, high motor defender who can harass ball handlers baseline to baseline and not get beat. His physicality and lateral quickness, instincts, and effort allow him to put maximum pressure on the ball and defend even in space effectively. He can snatch a careless dribble and turn it into a layup in a flash and has lockdown defensive ability. Great anticipation off the ball and quick in passing lanes. He averages over 5 steals per game! Stephen is an explosive leaper and rebounds the basketball at an impressive rate for a guard. So active and disruptive defensively you have to really keep a body on him as he creates extra possessions for his team not only with steals and rebounds but pursuing lose balls. Hawkish is a good description of his defensive style but also savvy and quick. His footwork is fantastic, he averages over two charges taken per contest! Stephen has put together an impressive basketball resume and has already picked up a Division I offer from Canisius College of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
If the name sounds familIar, it is! Stephen's Dad, Stephen 'Fonz' Barber starred at Radford University from 1988-1992 and still ranks among the Highlanders all-time scoring leaders with 1,170 career points. Stephen, Jr looks destined for similar success and should see his stock continue to skyrocket having attracted the attention of college coaches after stellar performances at the Tropical Smoothie Shootout in Harrisonburg, VA back in January and most recently with solid performances for Glenvar High School during their regional playoff run. Stephen, Jr also caught the attention of Phenom Hoop Report Vice President of Operations Patrick O'Brien after his performance at the Phenom Hoop Report 'Phenom Fall Finale' back in October 2020.
