Wise High School standout David Barker has announced his commitment to play basketball at DeMatha Catholic High School. The 6-8 power forward, who plays AAU for Washington Warriors, announced his commitment via an Instagram post on Friday, May 1.
David decided to open up high school recruitment after three years at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Upper Marlboro. “Personally, I felt that I wasn’t being utilized properly at my old school. Family, friends, and even opposing coaches all asked why I was barely getting playing time during the season and my answer was always. ‘I’m not sure,'” Barker said.
Barker had very limited time on the court, playing in only 14 of Wise’s 21 games. In those games, though, he averaged 6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.1 assists. He also scored a career high of 29 points last year in a 107-76 rout of High Point. He helped lead the Pumas to a 14-7 record and an 11-5 record in the Maryland Public Secondary Association within Class 4A South Region. In David’s varsity career, he has shot 59% from the field and 58% from the line.
“David is a very good kid looking for an opportunity to compete on the big stage. He gives us great size in the paint, a defensive presence, and an explosive physical rebounder,” said Coach Mike G. Jones III. “We think David can make an immediate impact on our team.”
David will join a small position group with only three forwards carrying over to next year. He seems to be the replacement for graduating forward Jordan Stevens. The program’s returning forwards include juniors Jared Jeffers and Danny Abass, and sophomore Nate Ngouen.
Barker’s senior class will include guards Donovan Wright, Tre Mack III, Rich Patterson, and forwards Jeffers and Abass.
“I chose DeMatha because DeMatha has had a reputation of being a great basketball program. I also wanted to hone and sharpen my skills against, and with, the best of the best. Overall, I know DeMatha can make me a better student-athlete,” Barker said.
In David’s time with Wise, the Pumas went 25-16, a winning percentage of 0.560. The record is largely due to his sophomore season where they went 14-12. Note: unofficially they went 19-4, but because of an ineligible player they were forced to forfeit their conference season. Barker’s stint with the Pumas ended when they were eliminated in the Class 4A South Region Finals by Flowers, 99-78.
David will try to add to the Stags, who were 25-10 overall and finished as the No. 1 team in Maryland according to Rivals, the No. 42 team nationally according to MaxPreps, and the No. 8 team in the All-Met. Barker will try to help the team reach its championship goals in the WCAC and the Maryland Private School State Basketball Tournament.
For Coach Jones and the staff, they will be entering their 5th season. In the past four, Coach Jones has 130 games as head coach under his belt with a record of 90-41, a winning percentage of .687. This is the highest in school history for a coach’s first four years.
Jones has led DeMatha to 20 wins in each of his four years here, during which he has guided the Stags to an Alhambra Catholic Invitational Championship in 2022 and a MDPSSBT championship in 2023. Coach Jones hopes that next season ends the school’s longest drought without a WCAC championship.
“I have a good, respectable relationship with the coaches. Every day I walk in to practice, Coach Jones and the rest of the staff greet me. They ask how I’m doing and ensure I’m ready to work,” Barker said.
David Barker is a very physical forward at 240 pounds, allowing to finish at the rim, as well as be a big presence in the lane and get blocks and rebounds. What limited him at Wise was a lack of playing time; he is bound for success on Madison Street.
