Great Players in Motlow Bucks Basketball History
Jack Battle (1971-1973)
Jack Battle stands as one of the greatest all-around players in Motlow's history. Even 40 years after his playing career ended, he is still listed in the top ten all-time leaders in career scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, and steals.
Jack's 1,131 total career points and 19.5 points per game average are fifth on the all-time list, while his 649 rebounds and 11.6 per game rebounding average are both third. His 137 total steals are third all-time, and he blocked 73 shots during his career, fourth all time.
Battle had his best season during his 1972-73 sophomore campaign, scoring 662 points (sixth all-time), averaged 22.1 points per game (seventh all-time), pulled down 375 rebounds (second all-time), averaged 12.5 rebounds (second all-time), and had 69 steals (tied for eighth all-time).
Jack was named an All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) in 1973.
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 409, and the 9.7 assists per game he averaged is 2.4 per game better than second place.
Mackin holds the top spot in the single-season assist record book, as well as the second spot. He had 311 assists his sophomore season and 265 in his freshman campaign of 1972-73. In addition, Larry also holds 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, and continued his basketball career at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, 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 College 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.
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 is fourth on the all-time school record list and his 773 career rebounds is 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.
Billy Holt (1976-1978)
Billy Holt is the second-leading career scorer in Motlow Bucks history and has become a highly-successful high school basketball coach at Giles County, where he graduated in 1975.
Holt scored 1,286 points during his Motlow career from 1976-78 and averaged 24.7 point per game, both second all time to Tim Fant. Holt is also second all-time in career steals with 146 and sixth all-time in career free-throw shooting, hitting 81.4% of his free throws. Billy scored 46 points in a game in 1978, the second best single-game output in school history, and is listed in the top ten of many more single game, single season, and career records.
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, where he remains today. 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, and was named to the All-American team by the NJCAA in 1978.
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 have 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 is seventh 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 also seventh all-time. He shot 81.5% from the free throw line during his career, the fifth-best mark in school history.
Baits dished out 148 assists during his sophomore campaign in 1984-85, the eighth best single season mark, while his 5.3 assists per game average is ninth 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 places him second in both categories as well.
The 1983-84 team during Andy's freshman year 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 College, 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 College basketball.
Tim was named to the All-American team by the NJCAA in 1990.
John Gales (1993-1995)
John Gales is the top three-point shooter in Motlow College basketball history, connecting on 152 in his two-year career. John's 1,263 career points rank him third all-time, while his average of 21.8 points per game is third 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 Tim Fant and Billy Holt as the only three players in school history to place in the top ten single-season scoring record book twice.
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. John was named to the All-American team by the NJCAA in 1995.
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 is the fourth-best single season total in school history, while his 101 steals places him second on the all-time Motlow single season list. He had 13 assists on January 26, 2008, the fourth-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 highlight passes 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 avaraged 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
Tyree's 614 points during that season is the seventh best in school history for a single season. He scored 41 points on Jan. 23, 2008, the fourth best single-game performance in school history, and then scored 39 points a week later. His 107 three-points 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 is the only 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 College record book. His 846 points and 16.3 points per game average are both six all-time for a career, and he is 10th on the all-time career list with 147 assists. His 95 steals, which is eighth all-time, gives Freddie the distinction of being the only Motlow player listed in the top ten all-time in those three categories for a career. In addition he is second all-time in three-point shots made with 138 and eighth 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, both defensively and on the release of his shot. Without question Freddie Goldstein is one of the greatest players in the 40+ year history of Motlow College basketball. Freddie is now playing for the
University of South Alabama Jaquars.
