Junior Will Barber has been a standout player for the Emmaus High School boys basketball team this season. It is his second full season helping to lead the varsity program on both offense and defense as the Green Hornets sit atop the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference at the end of the regular season.

“This season has been awesome,” said Barber. “We are playing really well together and having a lot of fun. This is probably my most favorite team that I have been a part of. We love going to practice every day, getting better and just love being around each other.”

Barber has led the Green Hornets (17-4 overall, 13-2 EPC) in scoring in more than half of their games this season, but he has also taken a back seat to teammates like Dylan Darville and Jametric Harris that have also stepped up when the program needed them to.

“The main scorers are Dylan, Jametric and myself, but we are a well-balanced team,” Barber said. “We don’t care who scores as long as we win the game, and that’s something that makes us really special. Everyone works hard and is ready for their moment. Everyone can score, which makes us dangerous.”

All three members of that trio excel in other sports. Many of the Emmaus basketball players utilize their skills they have picked up from the other sports they play and it all gels into a successful basketball program on the court this season.

“I think our multisport athletes really help us as a team,” said Barber. “We have a lot of tough football guys like Dylan, Jake [Fotta], Jackson [Lake], [Aidan and Pacey] Santos twins play soccer, I play lacrosse, Jack [Csensits] and Jametric play volleyball, and Dom [Nunez] runs cross country and track and field. I think it helps all of us improve our basketball game and our leadership. Lots of different teams that have failed and succeeded in winning championships, so we know what it takes to win.”

Barber has won a District 11 championship in lacrosse and is now looking to do the same in basketball. Both programs are successful and he sees similarities between the two of them as an athlete.

“In my opinion, lacrosse and basketball are very similar,” Barber said. “The angles, player movement, and ideas are very similar and I think it helps me tremendously. It is awesome playing basketball and lacrosse here at Emmaus. Both programs are great and competitive. It is a great opportunity to represent this school and community that not many have.”

The EPC tournament begins on Friday with Emmaus as the top seed.