A WHOLE NEW ALTITUDE

RICK BARNES HAD A BIG PROBLEM.

Two problems, actually. His team was little and he was losing his best players to the NBA before fans could even learn their names. When the head basketball coach took to the recruiting trail a year ago, he had a blueprint in mind on how to repair the foundation of his program. And within that program, Barnes had a pitch — one he let fly while in front of prospective members of the 2012 class.

“He told me the size was lacking the last year,” five-star center Cameron Ridley said. “There was the opportunity to play and do some big things,” Prince Ibeh added. “Coach told me we were going to have ...