Barea among SI's 'Favorite Players'
March 2, 2005
Boston, Mass.

Junior guard Jose Juan Barea is mentioned in an article in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated in a section entitled "Give Them a High Five," which lists players the magazine considers to "embody the spirit of college basketball."

About these players, SI's Damian Strohmeyer writes, "They work hard, play hard and make their teammates better. They exude passion and do whatever it takes to win. And they're fun to watch. For that they deserve a moment in the spotlight."

The piece on Barea is written by Alexander Wolff. It reads as follows:

Ever since the 1980s, when Aparicio Curry played at Detroit and Crosetti Speight at Hawaii, we've been searching for a player who doesn't just sound like a shortstop but plays like one. Northeastern point guard Jose Juan Barea is that guy. The 6-foot junior from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, who at week's end was averaging 21.9 points and 7.2 assists for the 19-8 Huskies, moves left or right with quick, biting steps. He fearlessly goes deep into the hole of the lane. When he whips a pass to a spotted-up teammate, he does so as if he's executing a pivot at second base. When he shoots, the ball comes out of his hand with what must be the quickest accurate release in the game. Turns out that like most Puerto Ricans, Barea played his share of baseball as a kid. Any shortstop? "No," he says. "Second base." Doesn't matter. The search is over.

Barea currently tops America East in assists and is second in scoring. He will lead second-seeded Northeastern in its quest for its eighth America East championship this weekend. The Huskies face the winner of the Hartford-Stony Brook game in the quarterfinals Saturday, March 5 at 6 p.m.