The Ooze - Ousmane Barro on the Move

Former Julian student and African Junior
National player, Ousmane Barro now
resides at a junior college in Kansas.

Barro on the Move

By Frank Rusnak
Crane’s dominance inside was too much for Julian in the Chicago Public League Championship game Saturday night at the United Center. But what if?

"We thought he was coming back, but it didn't work out that way."

Loren Jackson
Julian H.S. Coach

What if 6’10” Ousmane Barro, wasn’t ruled ineligible to play last year as a junior at Julian? What if he hadn’t transferred out of state for what would have been his senior year at the south side school? What if Barro stuck around at Julian and was ruled eligible?

Julian was a winner of its last nine games prior to the 80-68 loss to undefeated Crane and its twin towers, 6’8” Lorenzo Thompson and 6’6” Florentino Valencia. Coach Loren Jackson’s Jaguars do not have anyone listed above 6’5”.

“I wish he was here,” James “J.J.” Watson said earlier this year. “Boy, could we use him now.”

With Watson, a 6’5” junior, 5’10” senior waterbug T.J. Gray, a transfer from Champaign Central and 6’1” sophomore Brandon Ewing, size is not the strength of Julian, who now sit at 19-10 heading into the state playoffs – the first year Chicago Public Schools compete in assigned regionals.

The situation of Barro is a little hazy, even for those who were closest to him during his time in Chicago.

An exchange student from Senegal, Barro came to Chicago in the summer of 2001.

“There's an exchange program and he went through it just like everyone else has,” Jackson said. “He was the first player from the exchange program to play on the team at Julian.”

However, he was also the first exchange student to hold residence with Jackson at his house. The IHSA took note, and didn’t approve.

While Barro competed with Julian throughout the entire summer, Jackson was confident the IHSA would not have any problems. However, the IHSA objected, and made sure Barro was not to play his junior year.

Jackson and his team were shocked.

“Why not let him play?” Watson said. “What was wrong with him? He was fresh in the country. It shouldn't matter if he stays with coach or not.”

Despite not playing all year, Barro still made a reputation for himself with his play during the summer, and it continued to grow.

Going into the next summer, he competed in various national AAU tournaments, and, most notably, the Nike All-American Camp in Indiana.

Recognized as one of the top big men at the camp, Barro’s recruitment continued to elevate at the same altitude as his choppy English.

On July 15, Barro left the states for the African Junior National Team back at home. He started on the 19-under team, Jackson said.

While Jackson expected him back before the school year started, he waited and waited, but to no avail Barro did not return.

“We thought he was coming back, but it didn't work out that way,” Jackson said. “I talked to him and his mother and they just explained that it wasn't going to work out for him to come back.”

From the junior national team, Barro then reportedly went to Miami, Florida and tried to enroll at Northwest Christian High School, but wasn’t admitted.

“Florida was a stop, but it didn't work out for whatever reason,” said Jackson.

From there, Barro went to his current situation at Seward County Community College in Kansas, where he is trying to get his General Education Diploma (GED).

Barro is not listed on Seward’s official roster. Attempts to get a hold of Seward County Coach Dave Brown were unsuccessful.

“He is not playing this year,” a rival Kansas junior college coach said. “Most of the Kansas JuCo's can take kids even if they have not graduated from high school. The kid just has to have a GED by the time they graduate from the JuCo. The kid can practice with the team but cannot play in a game until his high school graduating class is finished. As far as my information says, this is what Barro is doing.

”From what I understand, Barro is currently a non-qualifier and probably won't be by the end of this year. This will rule out his chance to transfer to a Division I. I would assume he is going to play for Seward next year.”

Jackson said he has kept in touch with him, but insists he has not talked with him about his basketball plans.

“I talked to him once or twice and I know he's doing OK and enjoying himself,” Jackson said. “We didn't talk about basketball or anything, but he has plans of playing in JuCo.”

Barro appears to be doing good for himself at Seward. If he stays another year there and does well on the court, what does the future hold? UNLV and several other high majors are reportedly very interested, and the NBA is also a heavy rumor.

But for Watson and his teammates, they will forever remember Barro as the “The Ooze,” a nickname they tabbed the light-hearted big man with. Knowing some English when he arrived, it continued to get better everyday he walked the halls, Jackson said.

“He was just a cool big guy,” Watson said. “He made friends with everyone.”