Jack Battle (1971-1973)

Jack Battle, from Austin-East High School, is fondly remembered as the first great player in Motlow men's basketball history. Even over 50 years after his playing career ended, he is still listed in the top ten all-time leaders in career scoring, rebounding, assists, blocked shots, and steals.

Jack's 1,131 total career points is sixth all-time, and his 19.5 points per-game average is seventh, while his 649 rebounds and 11.6 per-game rebounding average are both fourth. His 137 total steals are fifth all-time, and he blocked 73 shots during his career, seventh all-time.

Battle had his best season during his 1972-73 sophomore campaign, scoring 662 points (seventh all-time), averaging 22.1 points per game (eighth all-time), pulling down 375 rebounds (second all-time), averaging 12.5 rebounds (second all-time), and had 69 steals (tied for 11th all-time).

Jack was named an All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) in 1973 and went on to play his final two seasons at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

Larry Mackin (1972-1974)

Larry Mackin is without question the greatest floor general to ever play for the Motlow Bucks. His career total of 584 assists towers above the second-best mark of 476, and the 9.7 assists per game he averaged is 1.7 per game better than second place.

Mackin holds the top two spots in the single-season assist record book. He had 311 assists his sophomore season and 265 in his freshman campaign of 1972-73. In addition, Larry is tied for first in the all-time record for steals at Motlow with 153. He set the single-game record for assists with 19 and is third on the career free throw shooting percentage list with 84.8%.

Larry Mackin came to Motlow from Perry County High School in Linden, Tenn., and continued his basketball career at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn., where he was later elected to that school's Hall of Fame. He became a golf professional in 1986 and has competed in numerous PGA events. He is the Executive Director of the Leisure World Community Association in Meza, AZ.

Bob Martin (1974-1976)

Bob Martin is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player in Motlow history. As a freshman, Martin had the best season ever by a Buck, setting school single-season records in points (860) and rebounds (472) that still stand today.

Bob came to Motlow in 1974 after serving a four-year stint in the Air Force. Martin graduated from Dickson High School in 1968 but did not play basketball in high school.

Martin's single-game record of 26 rebounds stood until 2008 when Demarco Steptor pulled down 28 boards in a game. In addition, his 1,236 career points are fifth on the all-time school record list, and his 773 career rebounds are the most in school history and over 100 rebounds more than the next-best total.

Bob was named to the All-American team by the NJCAA in 1975 and was elected to the TCCAA Hall of Fame in 2018.

After leaving Motlow, Martin went on to an outstanding career at Middle Tennessee State University, where he is still tied for 14th place on the Blue Raiders' all-time scoring average list. He played in 55 games for MTSU and averaged 15.5 points per game. Martin led the Blue Raiders in scoring during the 1976-77 season, averaging 17.9 points per game.

Martin also led his team in rebounding average both seasons in Murfreesboro, averaging 8.4 in 1976-77 and 7.9 in 1977-78. His 28 points against Detroit on March 3, 1977, is still the most points any MTSU player has scored in an NCAA Tournament contest. Martin was named 1st Team All-OVC following his junior season.

Billy Holt (1976-1978)

Billy Holt is the third-leading career scorer in Motlow Bucks history and became a highly successful high school basketball coach at Giles County High School in Pulaski, Tennessee, where he graduated in 1975.

Holt scored 1,286 points during his Motlow career from 1976-78, third all-time, and averaged 24.7 points per game, second all-time to Tim Fant. Holt is also fourth all-time in career steals with 143 and seventh all-time in career free-throw shooting, hitting 81.4% of his free throws. Billy scored 46 points in a game in 1978, the third best single-game output in school history, and is listed in the top ten of many more single game, single season, and career records. He was named to the All-American team by the NJCAA in 1978.

Billy went on to play at Athens State in Alabama following his Motlow career and began his coaching career at Richland High School in 1984. In 1987 he was hired at Giles County. He led the Bobcats to the state championship in 2003. He was honored with a Distinguished Service Award by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association in 2004.

Andy Baits (1983-1985)

Andy Baits was the best player on one of Motlow's greatest teams, and his place in the top ten career list for scoring, assists, and free throw shooting has stood the test of time. In addition, Andy had the two best free throw shooting games in Bucks basketball history.

Andy's 806 career points are 12th on the all-time list, as is his 15.2 points-per-game average. His 198 total assists and 3.8 assists per game average is 11th all time. He shot 81.5% from the free throw line during his career, the sixth-best mark in school history.

Baits dished out 148 assists during his sophomore campaign in 1984-85, while his 5.3 assists per game average is also 12th best. Andy hit 21-23 free throws on February 9, 1985, and both the number of attempts and the number made are the most in a single game in school history. His 17-20 performance on November 12, 1984, also places him third in both categories.

During Andy's freshman year, the 1983-84 team was one of the school's best, winning 14 consecutive games, the TCCAA championship, and 24 games overall.

Tim Fant (1988-1990)

Tim Fant is the all-time leading scorer at Motlow State, collecting 1,551 points in his two years from 1988-1990. He also holds the single-game scoring record, dropping 51 points on February 8, 1990. His 29.7 points per game scoring average in 1989-90 is also the best single-season average in school history.

Fant played two seasons at Belmont University in Nashville following his outstanding Motlow career, and still carries the banner as the greatest scorer in the history of Motlow State basketball.

Tim was named to the All-American team by the NJCAA in 1990.

John Gales (1993-1995)

John Gales is the second-ranked three-point shooter in Motlow basketball history, connecting on 152 in his two-year career. John's 1,263 career points rank him fourth all-time, while his average of 21.8 points per game is fifth on the all-time list.

Gales' 681 points during the 1993-94 season is the sixth-best single-season mark in history, and he joins Jaylen Barford, Tim Fant, and Billy Holt as the only four players in school history to place in the top 15 single-season scoring record book twice. John was named to the All-American team by the NJCAA in 1995.

John came to Motlow from Bolivar High School in Bolivar, Tennessee. He went on to play two seasons at the University of Memphis, earning letters in both seasons. 

Anthony Sally (2007-2008)

Anthony Sally proved himself as one of the greatest floor leaders in Motlow history, despite playing only one season. The 2007-08 Bucks set the school record with 28 wins and averaged 84.7 points per game. Sally averaged 7.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 3.4 steals per game.

Anthony's 227 assists are the sixth-best single-season total in school history, while his 101 steals place him fourth on the all-time Motlow single-season list. He had 13 assists on January 26, 2008, tied for the eighth-best single-game assist mark in school history, and dished out 11 assists three separate times.

Sally played two seasons at Western Kentucky following his Motlow season, averaging 3.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and one steal per game. Anthony stands out as one of the quickest to ever play at Copperweld Arena and has multiple highlights available for viewing on YouTube.

Tyree Evans (2007-2008)

Tyree Evans played one season for the Bucks but left his mark as one of the all-time great scorers in school history on one of the best teams. The 2007-08 Bucks set the school record with 28 wins and averaged 84.7 points per game. Evans averaged 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.

Tyree's 614 points during that season is the ninth-best in school history for a single season. He scored 41 points on Jan. 23, 2008, the sixth best single-game performance in school history, and then scored 39 points a week later. His 107 three-point shots made is the most in a single season in Motlow history.

Evans played two seasons at Kent State following his Motlow career, averaging over 10 points in 27 minutes per game. Evans is best remembered for his pregame introduction ritual and his tremendous three-point shooting ability.

Freddie Goldstein (2009-2011)

Freddie Goldstein was the first Motlow player in school history to be named All-American by the NJCAA in both of his seasons as a Buck. He led Motlow to a 37-16 record from 2009-11, including the 2010-11 regular season TCCAA championship and a runner-up finish in the Region VII Tournament.

Goldstein has many entries in the Motlow basketball record book. His 846 points are 11th on the all-time list, his 16.3 points-per-game average is 10th all-time for a career, and he is 10th on the all-time career list with 147 assists. His 95 steals is 12th all-time. In addition he is fourth all-time in three-point shots made with 138 and 10th all-time in free throw shooting, hitting 76% during his two years.

Standing only 5-10, Goldstein was one of the quickest players ever at Copperweld Arena, defensively and on his shot's release. Without question, Freddie Goldstein is one of the greatest players in the 50+ year history of Motlow basketball. He played his final two college seasons for the University of South Alabama Jaquars.

Dequon Miller (2013-2015)

Dequon Miller was the first recruit for new Bucks head coach Matt Sligh in 2013, and together the duo brought excitement and quality basketball to Copperweld Arena before exiting together for Missouri State University. They won 37 games during their two seasons at Motlow and led the Bucks to the conference tournament's semifinals each year.

Miller was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the NJCAA following his freshman season when he averaged 20.9 points, 7.0 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and two steals per game while connecting on 44 percent of his three-point shot attempts and 83 percent of his free throws. He followed that up by averaging 19 points, six rebounds, nine assists and 2.5 steals; yet was somehow overlooked by the NJCAA for All-American honors after his sophomore year.

His many career and single season records show he was perhaps the greatest scoring point guard in school history. He broke the Motlow record for career three-pointers by connecting on 157 and now stands second on the career list. Miller became only the sixth Motlow player to score over 1,000 points, finishing with 1,097. At the same time, he is third in career assists, and eighth in career steals.

With his signature headband and his ability to rise and release a shot from anywhere on the court, Miller was a primary reason that Motlow averaged a school record 95.2 points per game and enjoyed some of the largest and loudest crowds in recent memory.

Jaylen Barford (2014-16)

Although it is difficult to compare players who played in different eras, there is no question that Jaylen Barford is among the greatest, if not the greatest, basketball players to ever wear the green and gold of the Motlow Bucks. Barford is the only player in Motlow history to be signed to an SEC school (Arkansas), the only student-athlete from Motlow to be named the No. 1 JUCO player in the nation, and the only Motlow player to be named the Most Outstanding Player at the NJCAA All-Star game in Las Vegas. In addition, he is the only Motlow basketball player to wear an NBA uniform.

Jaylen holds a spot in the top ten of almost every statistical category in the Motlow single season and career record book. He is only the second player in Motlow history, along with Jack Battle, who stands among the top ten all-time in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals.

He is second in career scoring with 1,393 points, seventh in rebounds with 423, eighth in assists with 287, tied for second in steals with 153, 12th in three-point shots made with 66, and ninth in blocked shots with 52. He is the second Motlow student-athlete in school history to be named an All-American following both of his seasons, including first-team in 2017.

Two of Jaylen's signature plays during his Motlow career stand out. The first came in the final three seconds against Southwest Tennessee during his freshman season when he stole an inbounds pass and made two free throws to win the game. The second came toward the end of his Motlow career when he scored 45 points to lead the Bucks into the TCCAA/Region VII Tournament championship game with a win over Columbia State.

In two years at Arkansas, the 6-3 Barford averaged 15.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 28.3 minutes per game in 71 contests. An undrafted free agent, Barford recorded averages of 17.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steals in 35 games as a senior in 2017-18. The Jackson, Tennessee, native finished the season amongst the SEC leaders in the following categories: field goals made (first, 224), points scored (third, 628), points per game (third, 17.9), three-point field goals (fourth, 87) and field goal percentage (sixth, .470). As a junior, he averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

Rashawn Fredericks (2016-18)

Rashawn Fredericks led the Bucks to an amazing 53-14 record during his career, the best two-year record in school history. He earned 1st Team All-American honors from the NJCAA following his sophomore campaign and was the Player of the Year in the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association. The Bucks won the TCCAA tournament and advanced to the NJCAA national championship in both of Rashawn's seasons.

During his brilliant career, Fredericks became only the third player in school history, along with Jack Battle and Bob Martin, to average double digits in both career points and rebounds. He scored 1001 points for a 15.2 points-per-game average and added 769 rebounds, an average of 11.6 per game. His quickness led to 124 career steals, and he connected on 113 three-point shots. 

Rashawn signed with the University of Cincinnati following his Motlow career and played in every game for the Bearcats his junior season, then transferred to the University of Alabama Birmingham but never played for the Blazers. He joined the James Madison University squad for the 2020-21 season but has not appeared in a game.