Standing at 6 feet 2 inches, senior Gabriel Barakat was still one of the shortest players on his basketball team in Jordan, the country where he spent this past summer playing basketball.
“I had a great experience playing basketball overseas,” Barakat said. “I met a lot of new people from all over Jordan and the world.”
Barakat went to Jordan to spend time with his dad and stepmom, who live there now. While he was there, he found the opportunity to practice every day and even try out for Jordan’s national team.
Some of the top players featured there were Kareem Aljaibat from Canada and Hadi Alshami, a 7-footer from New Zealand.
“I did not end up making the final team, unfortunately, but I made it all the way to the final 16 kids, which was a pretty cool experience,” Barakat said.
Barakat noticed that in Jordan, the play style was different from that in the US.
“It’s a lot more skill-based instead of relying on athleticism. They also pass the ball a lot more instead of one player putting up a lot of shots,” Barakat said.
Barakat was born in Pittsburgh and moved to Dubai at age 5 with his family. At age 10, he returned to Pittsburgh, where he started his basketball career. He started playing for the Baldwin travel team in sixth grade and now plays for Baldwin’s school team on varsity.
The sport has taught Barkat many life lessons that he can apply to his future.
“Basketball has taught me how to have a very strong work ethic and to never doubt myself,” Barakat said.
Barakat’s strong work ethic has gotten him to where he is today.
“It took a lot of shots and jumping workouts to get where I am, but I think it has paid off,” Barakat said. “When I first started playing, I went to the park near my house every day to shoot.”
His talent has helped bring a lot of success to the basketball team, which last year went to the WPIAL championship game.
Barakat’s unique style is noticed by his teammates.
“He is good at shooting and can finish well at the hoop,” senior Jaden Duttine said. “He’s always solid on defense.”
The boys Baldwin basketball team has been on a hot start this season, winning their first nine games. They have a current overall record of 16-1 and a section record of 7-1.
Barakat attributes their success to the team’s chemistry.
“I think it’s that most of us have been playing together since we were in elementary and middle school,” Barakat said. “We all want to win no matter what, since it’s our last year playing together, and our record shows that.”
Barakat’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed by his teammates, especially in one of his recent games.
“My favorite memory of playing with Gabe was recently when he hit the game-winning three against Knoch,” senior Shane Bigley said.
Barakat remembers that moment.
“Everyone was excited, which was really fun,” Barakat said. “I know I can make shots like that, so it was nice to get the opportunity to do it finally.”
Off the court, Barakat shows good qualities among his peers.
“Gabe is a funny guy,” Duttine said. “He is always such a great friend.”
While he is unsure of playing basketball at the collegiate level, Brarakat is grateful that the sport has been such a big part of his life, he said.
