INOLA LONGHORNS 

BOYS

Coach: Clyde Barkley

22-23 Record: 21-7

The Inola boy’s basketball team is coming into the 2023-2024 season with the skill, experience, and work ethic to dominate. After finishing last season with a record of 21-7, Inola looks to improve and make a deep run in the playoffs. With the experience and knowledge of head coach Clyde Barkley, the Longhorns will be well prepared to further the success of last year. Barkley is entering his 47th year at Inola and believes this year’s team stands out compared to the previous teams. “This is one of the best teams we’ve had here. It is definitely the biggest team we’ve had,” said Barkley. With six players listed at 6-foot or taller, the team will likely be able to stretch the floor and dominate in the rebound category. Along with being one of the tallest and most talented teams that Inola has had, they are also one of the best shooting teams.

“With our size and shooting ability, we should be able to stretch the floor and generate more points,” said Barkley. One of the main floor stretchers on the team is Jackson Welch. Welch is a 6-foot-7 senior who dominates on both ends of the floor. After averaging 13 points per game as a junior, he will be looking to step up his game and lead the Longhorns to a deep playoff run. Another floor stretcher for Inola is Aidan Clark. Clark will be only the second freshman to start for Barkley during his coaching career at Inola. Clark stands at 6-foot-6 and is a dominating force in the paint and beyond the arc. Although the Longhorns are shaping up to be a very successful team for this season, Barkley still believes there are things they need to work on. “This year will be one of the toughest schedules we’ve had. If we want to be successful then we need to get better on the defensive end,” said Barkley. He believes that if the team can find success on the defensive end, it will lead to overall success throughout the season.