THE KING OF KENTUCKY BASKETBALL

(AKA) MR.KENTUCKY BASKETBALL...no one else even came close!

THE WAYLAND WASPS are still #1 in the SWEET SIXTEEN RECORD BOOKS after all these years. We're talking 1956. FORTY FIVE YEARS AGO. Long before the 3 point play !! How can IT be!!



A KET Production Coming For Spring 2002

Know any good basketball stories? KET (Kentucky Educational Television is the largest PBS member network in America and second in the world), has begun production on an ambitious new series documenting the long, colorful history of basketball in Kentucky, both as sport and as cultural phenomenon.

KET, recently visited Wayland where they did an interview with Kelly Coleman about his place in Kentucky Basketball.
Click on HERE to see a short video clip from the interview. You will need RealPlayer for this to work.

You can also visit this KET link, History Of Basketball In Kentucky for more info and video on the program.

Here's what KET had to say about Kelly on their website:

"Kelly Coleman of the coal-mining town of Wayland became “King” Kelly, a true member of Kentucky’s basketball royalty, with his record-shattering exploits at both Wayland High and Kentucky Wesleyan.
If anyone has felt the “royal” treatment accorded to basketball stars in Kentucky, it’s “King” Kelly."

Boys'SweetSixteen
TOURNAMENT RECORDS

INDIVIDUAL

POINTS--GAME

1.KELLY COLEMAN
wayland vs bell co 1956 •••••••••• 68
2.richie farmer
clay co vs ballard 1988•••••••••• 51
3.KELLY COLEMAN
wayland vs shelbyville 1956•••••••••• 50
4. linville puckett
clark co. vs somerset 1952•••••••••••47

POINTS--TOURNAMENT

1.KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND •••••••••• 185
2.richie farmer,clay co 1988••••••••••137
3.ronnie daniel,shawnee 1973•••••••••• 130

FIELD GOALS -- GAME

1.KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND •••••••••• 27
2.linville puckett, clark co.•••••••••• 21
2.ron king,central •••••••••• 21
3.richie farmer,clay co •••••••••• 20
12.KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND •••••••••• 16

FIELD GOALS -- ONE HALF

1. KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND •••••••••• 14
2.KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND •••••••••• 13
2.dan langhi,marshall co •••••••••• 13
2.manuel forrest, moore •••••••••• 13
3. richie farmer,clay co. ••••••••••12

FIELD GOALS--TOURNAMENT

1.KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND •••••••••• 69
2,robert brooks, madison •••••••••• 52
3.richie farmer, clay co •••••••••• 51
3.ron king,central •••••••••• 51

FREE THROWS -- TOURAMENT

1.KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND••••••••••47.
johnny cox,hazard••••••••••43
3.jim godwin,caverna••••••••••38

REBOUNDS -- GAME

1.KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND•••••••••• 28
2.j.r. vanhoose,paintsville•••••••••• 27
3.wesley unseld,seneca•••••••••• 25

FREE THROWS -- GAME

1.don ringstaff,livingston central•••••••••• 20
1.bo roaden,corbin•••••••••• 20
2.KELLY COLEMAN,WAYLAND•••••••••• 18
2.robert ditto,elizabethtown catholic•••••••••• 18

let's take a break from the records, but never fear there's plenty more records to come

KELLY COLEMAN IS CALLED

GREATEST PREP BASKETEER

IN HISTORY

BY ADOLPH RUPP

by billy thompson (lexington herald-leader)

"the greatest high school player who ever lived...a combination of cliff hagan, frank ramsey and all the other great stars who have played at kentucky.",
the quotes are from ADOLPH RUPP veteran university of kentucky basketball coach.
and the player to whom he is referring is KELLY COLEMAN the crackerjack cager at WAYLAND.
RUPP who has been watching basketeers for lo these many years journeyed to pikeville friday night to see the heralded WASP WARRIOR in action.
"he is fantastic. you have to see this boy to believe what he can do-and i still am not sure i believe it.said RUPP."he can shoot any sort of a shot MOSTLY,THOUGH ,HE FIRES ONE-HANDERS FROM THE HEAD OF THE CIRCLE.(3 pointers now) he dribbles behind his back as good as any player i have ever seen.he came down the floor in the second quarter last night,dribbled behind his back and the ball was stolen from him.a few minutes later, he did the same thing.faked his opponent out of his shoes and hit the nicest shot i have ever seen.he's not to good defensively but he sure knows what a basketball is for.added RUPP.
."he resembles FRANK RAMSEY coming down the floor. he is big (6-3 and weights 212)and his shots DON'T hit the rim and roll in. they are dead center.the net SWISHES upward as the ball glides through.
"he can do more with a basketball then CLIFF HAGAN,and that is saying a lot"RUPP added.

COLEMAN HAS THE AGILITY OF 12O-POUNDER

by gordon moore (louisville courier-journal)

KELLY COLEMAN is the biggest discovery in the mountains of KENTUCKY since coal was found 50 years ago. he is not only a prolific scorer but a terrific rebounder,dribbler, and all around team-man.he never shoots when another teammate is open,and he has the uncanny knack of following his own and teammates' shots for two-pointers. once the ball is on the offensive board,he keeps it in the air,never once bringing it down as most high school players do,until it goes in.

NOW IN PASSING

gordon "red" moore (louisville courier-journal)

WAYLAND headquarters for elkhorn coal,was a thriving community when COLEMAN played there.now the little coal camp on right beaver creek is little more than a ghost town.WAYLAND HIGH is no more and WAYLAND youngsters go to allen central.no mountain ballads were ever written about the basketball star, but k.cocanougher of the louisville times provided a good start when he wrote in 1956.

"UP IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THE NETS REALLY SING. LIVES KELLY COLEMAN, WHOM THEY CALL THE KING"

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