‘It’s been a year’ for Valparaiso’s Lillian Barnes. But after house fire, the Ball State commit looks forward.

Valparaiso’s Lillian Barnes begins her senior season with a perspective she has gained the hard way.

Barnes returned to practice this week after suffering her third injury in as many offseasons, a history the Ball State commit realizes may have affected her recruiting. But that’s basketball.

In early August, her family’s house burned down.

“It’s been a year,” Barnes said. “We pretty much lost everything, but we all survived.”

Barnes said she, her father and her younger brother were inside the house when the fire started and made it out safely. Barnes’ mother and sister, who was on summer break from college, weren’t home at the time. The family’s two dogs survived but not the cat.

“It could’ve been worse,” Barnes said. “Everyone’s OK. We’re living in an apartment now, but it’s all good. We’re good now. Most everything is replaceable, and I’m really grateful for the support.

“Two days after it happened, the team, we all went out to dinner, and they gave me stuff that I need because I lost everything. The whole Valparaiso community, it really shows what it’s about because there’s a lot of people who have been there for us. Me and my family are very grateful. It could’ve been a lot worse than it was. We’re lucky to have people by our side. There’s a lot of people there for us. I can’t say enough thank-you’s to everyone who helped. It made us feel good about the situation, that we were going to be OK.”

Barnes believes she’s in a good place mentally and physically for the final chapter of her storied high school career. After recovering from an ankle injury she suffered in September, the 5-foot-10 guard expects to be ready to go when the Vikings open an expectations-filled season Nov. 8.

“I came down on someone’s foot,” Barnes said. “It could’ve been a lot worse. I’m practicing, and it’s feeling a lot better.”

Barnes has become accustomed to dealing with injuries. Between her freshman and sophomore seasons, she missed about four months with a stress fracture in her lower back. Between her sophomore and junior seasons, she had surgery for a torn meniscus in her right knee, which sidelined her for about six weeks.

“The kid seems to have to go through some sort of injury every year before she can start a season,” second-year Valparaiso coach Kelly Kratz said. “We’re just being cautious and getting all the range of motion. But she’s as fit and as strong as she’s ever been. She had a great season in the summer, and her AAU was fantastic.”

In mid-June, Barnes announced her commitment to Ball State. She chose the Cardinals from a lengthy list of offers.

“I’m really excited,” she said. “They’ve been recruiting me since the beginning of the process. They’ve been there throughout all of my injuries. We’ve built a really strong relationship, player-coach. I can go there and get better at the next level. I really like the team. They’re a great program, great coaching staff. I’m really excited to go there next year.

“The injuries probably took a little toll. But at the end of the day, I found my new home. Everything happened for a reason, and it got me to where I’m going now. I’m grateful for every part of the way. I’m grateful for the Ball State coaches and everyone who stuck by my side.”

Kratz is happy for Barnes, whose impact is not limited to her on-court production.

“It was a big sigh of relief for her to finally make her decision, and we’re so proud of her for that,” Kratz said. “She just represents our program and our area so well. She’s a once-in-a-lifetime kid around here. We’re just very proud to have her.

“She brings joy with her every day. She’s just enjoying her time with her teammates. They’re her pals. She just fills everybody up.”

Valparaiso senior guard Bri Fincannon is one of those teammates among an experienced and closely knit group.

“She’s back playing, back better than ever,” Fincannon said. “She just wants to win.”

To date, Barnes has already accomplished nearly everything possible during her high school career. She was selected to the core group of the Indiana Junior All-Stars last season after averaging a career-high 21.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.7 steals. She has been named to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Underclass All-State Supreme 15 in each of her three seasons, and she was the Duneland Athletic Conference MVP in each of her three seasons.

Barnes already is the team’s career scoring leader with 1,485 points, and she should become the school’s career leader early this season. Roger Harden, Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 1982 and a Kentucky standout, has 1,590 points. Barnes could eclipse 2,000 by the end of the season.

“That’s a goal I’d like to get,” she said. “But most importantly, have a successful, fun season and get better as a team and as an individual.

“This last year, I really want to put everything together. I hope I can look to shoot even more threes, be able to read the defense better, find the open person. Maybe extend my range. Basically just improve everything. We’ll see.”

Barnes, who is a prime candidate to make the Indiana All-Stars, is most focused on team goals. Valparaiso, which has won three straight sectional titles and back-to-back regional titles, returns its starting lineup from last season after winning its first DAC championship since 2005.

“We have amazing chemistry,” Barnes said. “We’ve all been building relationships. We’re all seniors and juniors. It’s really great to play with them for another year. Obviously, we have a lot of work to do. It’s not just given to us. We’re working extra hard.

“Obviously, we’re very grateful to have done those things. But each season you have to forget about past success and start from scratch and know that every team’s coming. Every team has people back and new players, so it’s going to be a hard season. We still have to work just as hard and even harder than we did the past seasons.”

Work ethic has never been an issue for Barnes.

“I was with her this morning because she’ll be the one like, ‘Can I shoot in the morning?’” Kratz said. “She’ll always be the one. There’s a reason she’s as good as she is, and I had to change my shirt going to work because I was all sweaty rebounding for her. That’s the kind of kid she is. She just vibes you up to be the best coach you can be. You want to be the best because she wants to be the best.

“She sits in our office and just talks and talks and talks. We will miss her around here when it’s her time to leave. Hopefully we can delay that as long as possible.”