By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

“Well, we all shine on

Like the moon and the stars and the sun.

Yeah, we all shine on

Ev’ryone, come on and on and on and on.”

— Instant Karma by John Lennon

With the Fighting Tigers’ team depth, Ironton head coach Chris Barnes said a lot of players may get their chance to shine.

Barnes said 6-foot-2 senior guard and four-year starter Braden Schreck is a constant in the lineup, but the rest of the starting cast as well as reserve players will probably change according to the situation.

“Braden is going to do what he does, but this year everybody else has a chance to shine,” said Barnes. “When I say that, I’m talking about eight or nine guys.”

With three-year starting guard Shaun Terry leaving for the University of Missouri early, there will be more opportunities for the rest of the team to find some playing time.

Among the returning starters is 6-4 sophomore Ashton Layne while long-range shooting 5-10 senior Bryce Markins, 6-1 senior Tyler Roach and 6-1 senior Judah Barnes earned playing time last season including an occasional start.

Also in the mix will be 6-foot senior Markel Cotton, 6-foot junior Maddix Markel, 5-10 junior Braylon Baker, 5-1 junior Carson Freeman, 5-10 sophomore Brycen Mullins, 5-10 sophomore Kayden Edwards and 6-4 junior Caleb Johnson will all get an opportunity depending on the situation.

“We’re going to have depth. I like our depth,” said Ironton coach Chris Barnes. “Braden’s going to be a constant. We’ve got a lot of guys who can play.”

Barnes noted Bryce Markins had 21 points in the first game and Ashton Layne didn’t score, but in the second game Layne had 20 and Markins didn’t score.

“I think we just have to go with who has the hot hand that night. It’s early, but we have three guys averaging 10 plus points and Schreck is averaging 20-something. If we get four guys averaging double figure, that would be great,” said Barnes.

“T-Roach has given us two good games. He brings energy and he’s one of our better, tougher, physical defenders. It has opened it up. In the past few years with Shaun playing, it was the Braden and Shaun Show and everybody else had to find a part.”

Barnes said with Terry gone and Bailey Thacker graduated, some of the roles will change this season for veteran players.

“Last year, we had Judah play the three guard and this year we’re asking him to be more of a one or two and that’s not what he’s in there for. He’s in there more for defense and making that next pass. He’s had to take Shaun’s role for now and he’ll get better at it,” said Barnes.

“Markel Cotton is playing better. One thing Layne has learned is that without Bailey (Thacker) and some other kids, he got guarded by the fifth best defender on the other team. This year, I told him Shaun (Terry’s) not playing, Bailey’s not playing, you might get the second best defender and third at worst, so you have to step up your game. When his energy level is up, that’s when he’s good.”

While the list of candidates seems long, Barnes said there’s more.

“We’ve still got Mullins and Edwards who can play. I love the way Mullins plays. He can handle the ball and he’s tough. He’s a streaky shooter. Edwards can play. He’s an athlete. And you’ve got Carson Freeman who plays hard. Braylon Baker can give you some points. Braydon Sturgill has his arm in a harness right now, but when he comes back he can help us defensively,” Barnes said.

“I wouldn’t mind if I had to put any of those guys in. They all play hard. But the problem is, if any of those guys play well, it’s hard to get others in. It’s the old saying, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But we do have a lot of guys and I’ve told them to always be ready. Sometimes, it’s better to have some of those guys coming off the bench.”

The biggest problems facing Ironton is that 8 of the 12 players were on the state championship football team and have only practiced for a little more than a week. Barnes had to rearrange the schedule that will force a lot of 3 games in one week to be played along with getting players in shape.

Add a tough non-league schedule, and the challenge is daunting.

“Spring Valley played two good games in our Classic and we have to play them twice. But that’s normal. We don’t play an easy non-league schedule,” said Barnes.

Ironton split its two games in the annual Ironton Classic and Barnes said he saw a lot of positives to go with the negatives.

“We averaged around 40 points a game at this time last year and now we’re averaging 70 some. That’s a , but I don’t like the way we’re running our break right now,” said Barnes.

“We still have to get better. We have a lot of things to work on and we haven’t had much time. We’re in scrimmage mode and we’re in games that count.”

Ironton Fighting Tigers

2024-25 Basketball Roster

No. Player Pos. Ht. Gr.

  0 Ashton Layne C 6-04 So.

  2 Braydon Sturgill G 5-10 Sr.

  3 Braylon Baker G 5-10  Jr.

  4 Carson Freeman G 5-10 Jr.

10 Bryce Markins G 5-10 Sr.

11 Judah Barnes . F 6-01 Sr.

13 Tyler Roach     F 6-01 Sr.

14 Markel Cotton F 6-00 Sr.

20 Maddix Markel F 6-00 Jr.

21 Brycen Mullins G 5-10 So.

22 Braden Schreck G 6-02 Sr.

30 Kayden Edwards G 5-10  So.

50 Caleb Jacobs    C 6-04 Jr.

Head coach: Chris Barnes

Assistant coaches: Drew Stevens, Austin Collins

2024-25 Schedule

December

20 MINFORD (loss 79-68

21 GREENUP COUNTY (won 73-52)

28 GALLIPOLIS# 12:00

30 SPRING VALLEY 2:00

January

  2 at South Point# 7:30

  4 at Fairland# 7:30

  6 CHESAPEAKE# 7:30

  9 COAL GROVE# 7:30

11 WHEELERSBURG 7:00

14 GALLIPOLIS# 7:30

17 at Rock Hill# 7:30

18 at Spring Valley 7:00

21 at Portsmouth# 7:30

24 PORTSMOUTH# 7:30

25 CALVARY BAPTIST 7:30

28 FAIRLAND# 7:30

31 SOUTH POINT# 7:30

February

  1 at Wayne, W.Va. 3:00

  4 at Chesapeake# 7:30

  7 at Coal Grove# 7:30

11 ROCK HILL#. 7:30

14 EXPRESSION PREP 7:00

#-Denotes OVC game