It All Began in 1999

Coach Barber after winning the SLIAC. Photo by: Greenville Men's Basketball

Written and Media by Allyson Mitchell.


In 2017, the Greenville College Men’s basketball was announced as the fastest team in the nation. Who is behind all of this success?

Head coach, George Barber, has been at Greenville since 1999. Prior to coming to Greenville, he was an assistant coach at Bradley University and an administrative assistant at the University of Kentucky, where he was a part of Rick Pitino’s national champion team in 1996.

SLIAC Champions.
Photo by: Greenville Men’s Basketball

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In 2016, Barber was named “Coach of the Year” while the Panthers were SLIAC conference co-champions. The following season (2017), the Panthers outright won the SLIAC for the first time in program history. The Panthers averaged 130 points per game.

 

Shane Smith Dunking the Ball.
Photo by: Greenville Men’s Basketball

Senior Brian Ehresman commented on his experience with Coach Barber and the team,

The past five years being a part of the Greenville College men’s basketball program have been some of the best of my life. We’ve achieved some great success, but building relationships has been the aspect that stands out. I developed lifelong friendships with people I never would have met if it wasn’t for GC basketball. Coach Barber is an extremely caring individual and he makes everything fun. He is willing to do anything for his players, and not just while they are at Greenville. He wants us to be successful and well-rounded in life, and wants to help us accomplish our goals. There is never a dull moment with him around–on the court or off.  Whether it is camping and rock repelling, square-dancing, or even hiking up to the Panama Canal, he is always ready for an adventure.”

Showing their love to Coach.
Photo by: Greenville Men’s Basketball

Out of all of the basketball coaches in GC’s history, Coach Barber has stayed the longest. He is the all-time leader in wins. This is probably a result of how long he’s coached at Greenville.

Cutting the Net
Photo by: Greenville Men’s Basketball

Another player, senior Michael Hohm, shared about his time as a Panther,

 

 

 

I loved the style of basketball we’ve played the last couple of years. It’s fun to play without any hesitation and at the pace we did throughout the season. Basketball allowed me to get to know more people on campus and develop relationships that I wouldn’t have made otherwise. My favorite memory as a Panther was winning the regular season SLIAC title this past year.”

Emotional hug after the win.
Photo by: Greenville Men’s Basketball

Listen below to hear the three most memorable games Coach Barber has coached and why they left an impact on the men’s basketball program.

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