Melton named next FR coach

For a two-week period, the Indian athletics department had three prominent vacancies.

They have all been filled.

Fort Recovery interim athletics director Barb Sautbine on Wednesday announced Jim Melton as the next boys basketball coach at Fort Recovery High School.

“Pending board approval Monday night, I am very excited to welcome Jim Melton … to the Fort Recovery coaching staff as the boys varsity basketball coach,” Sautbine said in an email Wednesday afternoon. “Coach Melton brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our basketball program. His passion for the game is contagious and our athletes are very fortunate to have him as the new head coach.”

Melton’s hiring fills the third and final open position the district had when Michael Bashore stepped down as boys basketball coach April 3. Brent Niekamp was named athletics director April 17, and Holly Gann was hired as girls basketball coach Monday.

Melton, 49, a Union City Community High School graduate who lives in Winchester with his wife Angela and last season coached Arcanum — Fort Recovery beat the Trojans 39-37 Jan. 22 — will become the 16th coach in FRHS history.

“Obviously I have a tremendous amount of respect for the (Midwest Athletic Conference), the league they play in,” he said. “Fort Recovery has a rich tradition of basketball. It’s an enticing job. I don’t know how many candidates they had but I am sure they are high in number.

“I feel very blessed and honored to have the privilege to lead their basketball program.”

Prior to his one-year stint at Arcanum, Melton spent two years as an assistant at Winchester and the previous five years on the staff at Park Tudor in Indianapolis. 

While at Park Tudor, Melton was on a staff that won three Class 2A state championships in the span of four years (2012, 2014, 2015). He also coached the likes of current NBA players Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell (Indiana University – Sacramento Kings) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Michigan State – Memphis Grizzlies). Trevon Bluiett (Xavier University) also played for Melton, and he is currently in the NBA G League.

At Park Tudor, Melton said he gained the knowledge of building championship teams from Ed Schilling, who is now an assistant at IU after a four-year stint at UCLA.

“Working under Ed really enabled me and readied me to become the head coach that I am today,” he said. Arcanum was 15-8 with Melton at the helm, and set school records for fewest points given up in a game (19) and season defensive average (46.1 PPG).

Entering his 20th season as a coach at some level, Melton said his library of schemes on both sides of the court is “very extensive,” and the style his teams play varies.

“I can adapt from year to year based on personnel,” he said. “Once I get in there and figure out what personnel I have, then we’ll plug in what I feel will give us the most success.”

Melton said he prides himself on building a program, and that leaving Arcanum after investing as much time as he did last season was not an easy choice. But the Fort Recovery gig was too enticing for him to pass up.

“I can’t wait to get more involved with the Fort Recovery community,” he said. “I’m excited. My family is excited.”