Guiao high on ‘Red Bull Barron’

In World War I, Germany’s most revered fighter pilot Manfred von Richthofen was known as the Red Baron. He shot down 78 planes in his Fokker triplane, painted blood-red from cowl to tail, and gained a reputation for fearlessness in combat.

In the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Fiesta Conference, a Barron has come to play for Red Bull and he’s touted to be as fearless as the Red Baron.

Earl Barron, 23, made his PBA debut last Friday and promptly led the Barakos to a 101-85 win over Purefoods at the Araneta Coliseum. The 7-foot, 270-pound giant collected 34 points and 13 rebounds in a dominating performance, outshining the Tender Juicy Hot Dogs’ 7-1 mastadon Lorenzo Coleman.

"He looks like a winner," said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao. "He’s the right fit for our team. The players love him and he’s very smart for his age."

Guiao said he could’ve played Barron against Alaska last Wednesday but opted to give the import more time to acclimatize to Manila’s humid weather and summer heat. Red Bull wound up losing to the Aces, their fourth loss in the last five games, to formalize original import Dalron Johnson’s departure.

It was San Francisco-based Filipino import recruiter Bobby Rius who arranged for Barron’s arrival. Red Bull’s Andy Jao recommended Barron to Guiao and once more, Dr. J hit the (Red) Bull’s eye.

Guiao said he hopes Barron is the real thing. From the looks of his credentials, he’s just what the doctor, as in Dr. J, ordered for Red Bull.

Barron’s claim to fame was powering the University of Memphis to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) title in 2001-02. Coach John Calipari, who used to call the shots for the New Jersey Nets, steered the Tigers varsity to a 5-0 record in the NIT. Barron shot 9-of-9 in the first half and finished with 25 points in Memphis’ 72-62 win over South Carolina in the championship game.

"Barron’s performance was so dominating that the South Carolina staff was taken aback and couldn’t come up with a way to stop him even with three physical post players on the roster," wrote Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook editor Chris Dortch.

That season, Barron averaged 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds. He shot 52 percent from the field and 78 percent from the line. Barron was the only player to rank in Conference USA’s top 10 in both shooting departments. He raised his free throw marksmanship by nearly 20 percentage points, the second highest rate of improvement in the NCAA.

There are many things that make Barron special as a big man.

"Barron can jump rope like a welterweight and he played high school tennis," wrote Zack McMillin. "He shoots three-pointers like a young Arvydas Sabonis. Barron was 195 when he signed with Memphis. Earl the Meek has turned into Earl the Merciless.

"A clue to why Barron is so good inside comes when you watch him perform the old Mikan drill. He is nimble off either foot and has dexterity with both hands. He is best on the right block when the only way to stop him is to literally shove him either as he is catching the ball or shooting it. Defensively, he is a very good shot blocker who is also probably the best on the team at drawing charges."

Calipari chimed in: "He has terrific hands for a big guy. He can shoot the ball, make free throws and can trail on the break. He is a quietly driven player. The guys that are driven and have played for me in the past, they really take it to another level. He’s one of the better shooters. That’s because he goes into the gym and works on it."

Calipari and his staff tutored Barron into changing his shot delivery from a low side-winding release to an arcing jumper to capitalize on his soft touch and shooter’s eye.

As a Memphis freshman in 1999-2000, he averaged 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots in three games at the Maui Invitationals. Barron collected 17 points, 11 rebounds and six blocked shots in Memphis’ 83-65 win over Chaminade in the Hawaii tournament.

After completing his varsity eligibility, Barron passed 21 hours in a spring semester to earn his degree in Business Administration. He was the first Memphis player to graduate within four years since 1991. Barron scored over 1,000 points in his Tigers career and posted a personal high of 26 against Austin Peay University.

Among the prominent Memphis cage alumni are Barron’s teammate DaJuan Wagner, Penny Hardaway, Lorenzen Wright, Cedric Henderson and Elliott Perry.

Barron saw action as an import for Tuborg Pilsener in the Turkish league in 2003-04 and nearly cracked the Orlando Magic regular season lineup in the National Basketball Association this season.

In 2001, Barron played for the US squad that bagged the bronze at the World University Games in China. The US lost an 83-82 decision to China in the semifinals with Barron collecting five points and four rebounds in 15 minutes against Yao Ming.

McMillin, a Conference USA writer, once said Barron is "better than advertised." The "Red Bull Barron" might just be the real deal.