University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Sarah Ashlee Barker
December 17, 2021 | Women's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Sarah Ashlee Barker was one of the stars of the No. 14-ranked Georgia women's basketball team's 82-80 overtime win at No. 2 North Carolina State on Thursday night. Her 3-pointer from the left wing with .4 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 75 and forced the extra period.
A 6-foot sophomore from Birmingham, Ala., Barker finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, going 4-for-7 from 3-point range. Barker's career high in scoring is 19, which she poured in last month against Furman. Thursday's stellar showing came against one of the best teams in the country, and her buzzer-beater to force overtime was one of the biggest shots she's ever hit.
During a Quick Chat before the season started, Barker talked about her best moment ever on a basketball court. It took place back in high school, she said, when late in a tight game, with her twin brother watching courtside, she made a couple of clutch plays to seal a win for Spain Park High School.
That may still be Barker's best moment, but it's safe to say that Thursday's game-tying 3 is right up there, too. Teammate Jenna Staiti fed the ball to Barker near the top of the key and Barker took one dribble before letting fly over a Wolfpack defender.
"I wasn't surprised it was her," Staiti said of Barker hitting the big shot. "She comes up big for us all the time. It was such a big shot, on the road, at the No. 2 team in the country's place. ... A sophomore coming in here and doing that, I can't even imagine what her future's going to look like here."
In our Quick Chat, conducted in late October, Barker also talked about her desire to get into coaching when her playing days are done. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: As we sit down for this, Halloween is a few days away. What is your favorite Halloween candy?
Barker: I'm going to have to go with Reese's because I just remember my mom put it out before Halloween and it was the first thing I would put my eyes on. I'd go straight to it every time. I'm actually not a fan of the Reese's Pieces, I only like the Peanut Butter Cups.
Frierson: Do you have a favorite Halloween costume that you've ever worn? Are you still up for putting on a costume, or have you kind of graduated beyond that?
Barker: Honestly, I've kind of graduated beyond it. But if it's with my friends or something, I wouldn't mind doing something.
I have a twin brother (Harrison), and when we were little we dressed up as Tinker Bell and Peter Pan. That's always been one that's in the back of my head and always think about it. It was really cute.
Frierson: How different do you feel as a player entering your sophomore season compared to last year?
Barker: It's very different. I'm used to what's going to happen in practice, it's not new to me, and that's been the biggest part that I think has helped me this year. Last year was pretty tough overall, with the Covid restrictions and stuff like that; we still have restrictions this year but it's definitely a lot better.
I think the speed of the game is going to be a lot better for me this year because that was a big adjustment, for sure. Just being here for a year, I've made my way and feel a lot more comfortable.
Frierson: The speed of the game from high school to college seems to be one of those things where, regardless of the sport, there's no way to really prepare for it. You just have to go out there and play and get used to it.
Barker: Right, to prepare for it you've got to play it. I think that once I got games underneath my belt and now that it's been a year, you just get up to speed with it. Also, there's the physicality of the game at this level. You get out and you play in the SEC, and it's bang, bang, bang all of the time.
Frierson: What is your best ever moment on a basketball court? Is there one that stands out above the rest?
Barker: We were playing Hoover my Senior Night game, and we were up by three. They shot a 3 and it went in and out, and a girl (for Hoover) rebounded it and I just came over and blocked it. I grabbed it — my brother was standing near me (in the crowd), my twin brother — and that play pretty much closed out the game.
I got fouled and was going to the free-throw line. I had confidence that I was going to make the free throws, and I remember my brother and I slapped the crap out of each other's hands. I'll always remember that, and (Georgia coach Joni Taylor) was there that night, too, so that was one of the moments where I'm like, that was an awesome moment.
My twin brother was right there on that play, that's our rival, it's Senior Night and I've never beaten them in my career, and to top it off by blocking that shot with my brother right there — it was pretty awesome.
Frierson: What is it like playing when you know college coaches are there watching you?
Barker: I think because I committed so early, I committed to Georgia as a junior, that any time they would come watch me play, yeah, it was nerve-wracking because I'm going to play for them and I want to play really well. But at the same time, I kind of thought of it as, she's kind of my coach now.
I can't be perfect, I'm never going to be perfect, but I knew that she would be honest with me if I needed to work on something. I just wanted to have fun and play well for her, too.
Before you commit, you're like, I really need to play well but at the same time, you've got to tell yourself that it's just another game. If I play well this game then I play well this game. If I don't, I'll have another opportunity because I think coaches know they can't just base their evaluation of a kid off of one game. That's how I took it with my recruitment.
Frierson: Who is the funniest person on the team this season?
Barker: We have a lot of funny people on the team, each in their own way, but Que (Morrison) is just Que. She's always funny. That's just her. Kimmy (Kimora Jenkins) is pretty funny, too.
Everyone has their own funniness, their own way of being funny, and that's what I like about this group. Everyone has their own personalities and that's what makes us really close.
Frierson: In a perfect world, what are you doing 10 years from now?
Barker: Ten years from now I would be 30, and I've always dreamed of having a family and having kids. I don't know if it would be when I'm 30 but I'd like for it to be by then. Hopefully, I'm still playing basketball, and I want to play as long as I can, but if I'm not in the WNBA, then I'd like to be coaching.
Frierson: Because you want to get into coaching, do you study what Georgia's coaches are doing during practice and games?
Barker: Yeah, I for sure take in what all of them have to say and how they coach. They all coach in different ways and I think for me wanting to be a coach, I have to learn off that and understand that there are going to be different styles and different ways of teaching. It's been fun just being able to watch it on that end.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
Sarah Ashlee Barker was one of the stars of the No. 14-ranked Georgia women's basketball team's 82-80 overtime win at No. 2 North Carolina State on Thursday night. Her 3-pointer from the left wing with .4 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 75 and forced the extra period.
A 6-foot sophomore from Birmingham, Ala., Barker finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, going 4-for-7 from 3-point range. Barker's career high in scoring is 19, which she poured in last month against Furman. Thursday's stellar showing came against one of the best teams in the country, and her buzzer-beater to force overtime was one of the biggest shots she's ever hit.
During a Quick Chat before the season started, Barker talked about her best moment ever on a basketball court. It took place back in high school, she said, when late in a tight game, with her twin brother watching courtside, she made a couple of clutch plays to seal a win for Spain Park High School.
That may still be Barker's best moment, but it's safe to say that Thursday's game-tying 3 is right up there, too. Teammate Jenna Staiti fed the ball to Barker near the top of the key and Barker took one dribble before letting fly over a Wolfpack defender.
"I wasn't surprised it was her," Staiti said of Barker hitting the big shot. "She comes up big for us all the time. It was such a big shot, on the road, at the No. 2 team in the country's place. ... A sophomore coming in here and doing that, I can't even imagine what her future's going to look like here."
In our Quick Chat, conducted in late October, Barker also talked about her desire to get into coaching when her playing days are done. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: As we sit down for this, Halloween is a few days away. What is your favorite Halloween candy?
Barker: I'm going to have to go with Reese's because I just remember my mom put it out before Halloween and it was the first thing I would put my eyes on. I'd go straight to it every time. I'm actually not a fan of the Reese's Pieces, I only like the Peanut Butter Cups.
Frierson: Do you have a favorite Halloween costume that you've ever worn? Are you still up for putting on a costume, or have you kind of graduated beyond that?
Barker: Honestly, I've kind of graduated beyond it. But if it's with my friends or something, I wouldn't mind doing something.
I have a twin brother (Harrison), and when we were little we dressed up as Tinker Bell and Peter Pan. That's always been one that's in the back of my head and always think about it. It was really cute.
Frierson: How different do you feel as a player entering your sophomore season compared to last year?
Barker: It's very different. I'm used to what's going to happen in practice, it's not new to me, and that's been the biggest part that I think has helped me this year. Last year was pretty tough overall, with the Covid restrictions and stuff like that; we still have restrictions this year but it's definitely a lot better.
I think the speed of the game is going to be a lot better for me this year because that was a big adjustment, for sure. Just being here for a year, I've made my way and feel a lot more comfortable.
Frierson: The speed of the game from high school to college seems to be one of those things where, regardless of the sport, there's no way to really prepare for it. You just have to go out there and play and get used to it.
Barker: Right, to prepare for it you've got to play it. I think that once I got games underneath my belt and now that it's been a year, you just get up to speed with it. Also, there's the physicality of the game at this level. You get out and you play in the SEC, and it's bang, bang, bang all of the time.
Frierson: What is your best ever moment on a basketball court? Is there one that stands out above the rest?
Barker: We were playing Hoover my Senior Night game, and we were up by three. They shot a 3 and it went in and out, and a girl (for Hoover) rebounded it and I just came over and blocked it. I grabbed it — my brother was standing near me (in the crowd), my twin brother — and that play pretty much closed out the game.
I got fouled and was going to the free-throw line. I had confidence that I was going to make the free throws, and I remember my brother and I slapped the crap out of each other's hands. I'll always remember that, and (Georgia coach Joni Taylor) was there that night, too, so that was one of the moments where I'm like, that was an awesome moment.
My twin brother was right there on that play, that's our rival, it's Senior Night and I've never beaten them in my career, and to top it off by blocking that shot with my brother right there — it was pretty awesome.
Frierson: What is it like playing when you know college coaches are there watching you?
Barker: I think because I committed so early, I committed to Georgia as a junior, that any time they would come watch me play, yeah, it was nerve-wracking because I'm going to play for them and I want to play really well. But at the same time, I kind of thought of it as, she's kind of my coach now.
I can't be perfect, I'm never going to be perfect, but I knew that she would be honest with me if I needed to work on something. I just wanted to have fun and play well for her, too.
Before you commit, you're like, I really need to play well but at the same time, you've got to tell yourself that it's just another game. If I play well this game then I play well this game. If I don't, I'll have another opportunity because I think coaches know they can't just base their evaluation of a kid off of one game. That's how I took it with my recruitment.
Frierson: Who is the funniest person on the team this season?
Barker: We have a lot of funny people on the team, each in their own way, but Que (Morrison) is just Que. She's always funny. That's just her. Kimmy (Kimora Jenkins) is pretty funny, too.
Everyone has their own funniness, their own way of being funny, and that's what I like about this group. Everyone has their own personalities and that's what makes us really close.
Frierson: In a perfect world, what are you doing 10 years from now?
Barker: Ten years from now I would be 30, and I've always dreamed of having a family and having kids. I don't know if it would be when I'm 30 but I'd like for it to be by then. Hopefully, I'm still playing basketball, and I want to play as long as I can, but if I'm not in the WNBA, then I'd like to be coaching.
Frierson: Because you want to get into coaching, do you study what Georgia's coaches are doing during practice and games?
Barker: Yeah, I for sure take in what all of them have to say and how they coach. They all coach in different ways and I think for me wanting to be a coach, I have to learn off that and understand that there are going to be different styles and different ways of teaching. It's been fun just being able to watch it on that end.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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