In his 17th season as East High's varsity basketball coach, Darrell Barley has led the Eagles to six sectional championships and a pair of state final fours over those years. He added another milestone this season with 300th career win.

“You never think about the wins and the losses, how many wins you have. If you do the right thing and trust your players good things will happen and I guess that happened for me and fell in place,” said Barley.

Barley's success on court goes back nearly 30 years. After a standout high school career at East, he played at Canisius College, helping lead the Golden Griffins to the NCAA Tournament in 1996. He also was named MAAC Player of the Year that season. After a brief pro basketball career, Barley returned to Rochester where he's been teaching and coaching at East since 1997.

“It's just a blessing that I could come back to my alma mater and coach. Coach relatives. Coach friends' sons. Teach friends' sons and daughters and other acquaintances as well as my own boys,” said Barley.

Barley's oldest son Darrell Jr. graduated back in 2016. His middle son Kaori is in his senior season while the youngest Damani is a sophomore.

"I think I'm tougher on those two guys than I am on some of the other players and my older son, he probably got it the worst,” said Barley.

“I'm held accountable a lot more than other people, but I've learned to play through it," said Kaori Barley.

“He's going to get on us real quick if we're not in our positions or if we're not doing something right. He will yell and that's what he's going to do and that makes us a championship team,” said Damani Barley.

Barley's coaching style hasn't changed much over the years and despite his limitations, occasionally prefers the hands-on approach.

"Sometimes you get that itch, you want to shoot around or dribble and try to show them where they can find the different areas to make plays or how to handle the ball or set their man up,” said Barley.

Barley is also teaching life lessons on the basketball court.

"I try to be a role model,” he said. “I had role models growing up."

“I just try to tell my teammates he might get on you but he's telling you the right thing so just use that to the best of your ability,” said Kaori Barley.

East opens sectional play Saturday at home against Wilson.