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Larry Conley status

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clevenger32

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Mar 22, 2009
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For those of you old enough to remember when Larry Conley wore #40, ya know he was arguably, with all due respect to Tommy Kron, the leader of the Runts.
Since he and Tom Hammond sadly do not do basketball broadcasts any longer, he hopefully is happily enjoying his senior years in Dunwoody. Thought of him with the post on formers whose jersey should be hanging from the rafters.
If anybody knows how he is doing these days, please share. #40 from Ashland Blazer…a great one.
 
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Quick google search states he is broadcast for Fox sports. Did not check further. But might be what he is doing.
 
As a kid, I saw him play for Ashland at the old Newport High School & gym. I don't remember a lot, but my older cousins were quite excited.
 
I saw Larry Conley play for Ashland Blazer in the Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament in 1961 and in 1962. The Ashland Tomcats won it all in 1961 - state champs - one of the best high school basketball teams in Kentucky, ever. Conley was a junior that year. Ashland beat Lexington Dunbar in the finals, 69-50. (Some of y'all old-timers will remember that Austin Dumas made a last-second heave from mid-court for Dunbar, at the buzzer, to beat Breathitt County and the great Earl Stevens 55-54.)
In 1962, when Conley was a senior Harold Sargent and Bob Hilton had graduated from Ashland, but Conley almost single-handedly carried Ashland into the State Tournament finals. The Tomcats lost in the finals to St. Xavier, led by Mike Silliman. (Y'all old-timers may also recall that Silliman was an All-American in the 1966 graduating class at West Point, coached by then Army coach Bob Knight.)

P.S. I saw every game of every Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament from 1953 through 1965. Larry Conley has always been one of my all-time U.K. Wildcats favorites !

Please excuse this extended stroll down Memory Lane. Best to all. Go 'Cats !
 
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Ripcord65 said:
I saw Larry Conley play for Ashland Blazer in the Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament in 1961 and in 1962. The Ashland Tomcats won it all in 1961 - state champs - one of the best high school basketball teams in Kentucky, ever. Conley was a junior that year. Ashland beat Lexington Dunbar in the finals, 69-50. (Some of y'all old-timers will remember that Austin Dumas made a last-second heave from mid-court for Dunbar, at the buzzer, to beat Breathitt County and the great Earl Stevens 55-54.)
In 1962, when Conley was a senior Harold Sargent and Bob Hilton had graduated from Ashland, but Conley almost single-handedly carried Ashland into the State Tournament finals. The Tomcats lost in the finals to St. Xavier, led by Mike Silliman. (Y'all old-timers may also recall that Silliman was an All-American in the 1966 graduating class at West Point, coached by then Army coach Bob Knight.)

P.S. I saw every game of every Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament from 1953 through 1965. Larry Conley has always been one of my all-time U.K. Wildcats favorites !

Please excuse this extended stroll down Memory Lane. Best to all. Go 'Cats !
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Listened to that game on the radio.
 
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Rupp's Runts were before I was born but one of the greatest compliments I can give him as a TV commentator for Jefferson Pilot sports he was as neutral as could be. I had no idea until I was well into my teens and immersing myself in UK history, did I know that he played here. Any bias he might have had, you never knew it and if a colleague ever brought his playing years up, he quickly shut it down. The polar opposite of what we have now with the band of Dukies on TV or a UNC-slurping Kenny Smith. After he retired, I read an interview with him that his years at UK were so important and impacted everything in his life so it's not like he didn't have fond memories, it's just he was a total professional and realized there's a time and place for everything.
 
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Ripcord65 said:
I saw Larry Conley play for Ashland Blazer in the Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament in 1961 and in 1962. The Ashland Tomcats won it all in 1961 - state champs - one of the best high school basketball teams in Kentucky, ever. Conley was a junior that year. Ashland beat Lexington Dunbar in the finals, 69-50. (Some of y'all old-timers will remember that Austin Dumas made a last-second heave from mid-court for Dunbar, at the buzzer, to beat Breathitt County and the great Earl Stevens 55-54.)
In 1962, when Conley was a senior Harold Sargent and Bob Hilton had graduated from Ashland, but Conley almost single-handedly carried Ashland into the State Tournament finals. The Tomcats lost in the finals to St. Xavier, led by Mike Silliman. (Y'all old-timers may also recall that Silliman was an All-American in the 1966 graduating class at West Point, coached by then Army coach Bob Knight.)

P.S. I saw every game of every Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament from 1953 through 1965. Larry Conley has always been one of my all-time U.K. Wildcats favorites !

Please excuse this extended stroll down Memory Lane. Best to all. Go 'Cats !
Click to expand...
I thot the Dumas heave was from the opposite ft line. A missed ft and then a turnaround and heave. Was listening in the radio so saw nothing.

Conley was sick against Texas Western but played tho sub-oar Certainly partly responsible for the loss in the 66 title game
 
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Ripcord65 said:
I saw Larry Conley play for Ashland Blazer in the Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament in 1961 and in 1962. The Ashland Tomcats won it all in 1961 - state champs - one of the best high school basketball teams in Kentucky, ever. Conley was a junior that year. Ashland beat Lexington Dunbar in the finals, 69-50. (Some of y'all old-timers will remember that Austin Dumas made a last-second heave from mid-court for Dunbar, at the buzzer, to beat Breathitt County and the great Earl Stevens 55-54.)
In 1962, when Conley was a senior Harold Sargent and Bob Hilton had graduated from Ashland, but Conley almost single-handedly carried Ashland into the State Tournament finals. The Tomcats lost in the finals to St. Xavier, led by Mike Silliman. (Y'all old-timers may also recall that Silliman was an All-American in the 1966 graduating class at West Point, coached by then Army coach Bob Knight.)

P.S. I saw every game of every Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament from 1953 through 1965. Larry Conley has always been one of my all-time U.K. Wildcats favorites !

Please excuse this extended stroll down Memory Lane. Best to all. Go 'Cats !
Click to expand...
Great post. My first state tournament was when my Hazard played Seneca in 1964. Seneca had Wes Unseld; we had a freshman player named Jim Rose, who later played at Western.

Seneca beat us by two or three points if I remember correctly and went on to win the state title

As an aside, Bobby Knight always said Mike Silliman was the best overall player he ever had.

One other thing, my older brother was good friends with Harold Sergeant at Morehead.
 
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dlh331 said:
Great post. My first state tournament was when my Hazard played Seneca in 1964. Seneca had Wes Unseld; we had a freshman player named Jim Rose, who later played at Western.

Seneca beat us by two or three points if I remember correctly and went on to win the state title

As an aside, Bobby Knight always said Mike Silliman was the best overall player he ever had.

One other thing, my older brother was good friends with Harold Sergeant at Morehead.
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The Runts in 1966 had soph Thad Jaracz (sp), Juniors Pat Riley & Louie Dampier, both All Americans along with seniors Larry Conley and Tommy Kron. The following year with Jaracz and the Cats two returning All Americans in Dampier & Riley, the Cats finished 13 & 13 on the season.
I've often wondered who were the real All Americans from the 66 team.
 
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clevenger32 said:
For those of you old enough to remember when Larry Conley wore #40, ya know he was arguably, with all due respect to Tommy Kron, the leader of the Runts.
Since he and Tom Hammond sadly do not do basketball broadcasts any longer, he hopefully is happily enjoying his senior years in Dunwoody. Thought of him with the post on formers whose jersey should be hanging from the rafters.
If anybody knows how he is doing these days, please share. #40 from Ashland Blazer…a great one.
Click to expand...

Clevenger, are you from Anderson Indiana by chance?
 
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clevenger32 said:
For those of you old enough to remember when Larry Conley wore #40, ya know he was arguably, with all due respect to Tommy Kron, the leader of the Runts.
Since he and Tom Hammond sadly do not do basketball broadcasts any longer, he hopefully is happily enjoying his senior years in Dunwoody. Thought of him with the post on formers whose jersey should be hanging from the rafters.
If anybody knows how he is doing these days, please share. #40 from Ashland Blazer…a great one.
Click to expand...
One of my favorite players from that era ,he was like a swiss army knife(could do a little of everything)
His dad reffed many UK games but couldn't call while Larry played. I think George was one ref that Rupp
liked.

Heard a story once that Conley called a UK player for walking(sometimes called traveling) and Rupp
remarked he wouldn't know traveling if he saw it since he worked for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
 
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clevenger32 said:
For those of you old enough to remember when Larry Conley wore #40, ya know he was arguably, with all due respect to Tommy Kron, the leader of the Runts.
Since he and Tom Hammond sadly do not do basketball broadcasts any longer, he hopefully is happily enjoying his senior years in Dunwoody. Thought of him with the post on formers whose jersey should be hanging from the rafters.
If anybody knows how he is doing these days, please share. #40 from Ashland Blazer…a great one.
Click to expand...
Loved Larry and Tom on the SEC games. Worlds better than the jokes who do the games these days.
 
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Indy Cat said:
The Runts in 1966 had soph Thad Jaracz (sp), Juniors Pat Riley & Louie Dampier, both All Americans along with seniors Larry Conley and Tommy Kron. The following year with Jaracz and the Cats two returning All Americans in Dampier & Riley, the Cats finished 13 & 13 on the season.
I've often wondered who were the real All Americans from the 66 team.
Click to expand...
Riley was injured in a skiing accident in the summer and was a shell of the player he was in 66'
The Runts caught lightening in a bottle in 66, the chemistry was just not there in 67
 
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Ripcord65 said:
I saw Larry Conley play for Ashland Blazer in the Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament in 1961 and in 1962. The Ashland Tomcats won it all in 1961 - state champs - one of the best high school basketball teams in Kentucky, ever. Conley was a junior that year. Ashland beat Lexington Dunbar in the finals, 69-50. (Some of y'all old-timers will remember that Austin Dumas made a last-second heave from mid-court for Dunbar, at the buzzer, to beat Breathitt County and the great Earl Stevens 55-54.)
In 1962, when Conley was a senior Harold Sargent and Bob Hilton had graduated from Ashland, but Conley almost single-handedly carried Ashland into the State Tournament finals. The Tomcats lost in the finals to St. Xavier, led by Mike Silliman. (Y'all old-timers may also recall that Silliman was an All-American in the 1966 graduating class at West Point, coached by then Army coach Bob Knight.)

P.S. I saw every game of every Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament from 1953 through 1965. Larry Conley has always been one of my all-time U.K. Wildcats favorites !

Please excuse this extended stroll down Memory Lane. Best to all. Go 'Cats !
Click to expand...
Rip,
Was Doug Cundiff on that 55 Breathitt County Team? My hometown team, Sandy Hook, had some barn burners with Breathitt Co during the mid 50's. Cubdiff played for Morehead state for a year or two. Sandy Hook had all 5 of their starters on the 58 team receive college scholarship offers. Specifically, Bob Rice 6'6 started on the UK freshman team, Orb Bowling, 6'10 played 4 years for Univ of Tenn, Stanley Banks 6'4 played for Pikeville, Billy Manning 6'0' guard with a 40 inch vertical offered a scholarship to Fla State and Roy Fannin 6'2" guard played for Eastern Ky. With all that talent we could never get out of the region because of Meade Memorial and Brathitt Co. Also did you ever see Corky Withrow, Howie Crittenden, Harry Todd, Mickey Gibson, Donnis Butcher and King Kelly Coleman play in high school. I always thought that if Rupp could have signed(and Kept) all these KY high school players from the 50's he would have won 2 or 3 more NCAA championships.
 
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That 62 Ashland team is considered one of the greatest of all time I would put the 69 central team Ron King and the 79 Lafayette team dirk minniefield ahead of them
 
paulcalhoun said:
Larry is a legend around Ashland to be sure. I actually watched a number of games with his sister, her husband, daughter and other friends years ago. Her daughter ended being a cheerleader at UK.
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Yes, he is definitely royalty, here. Ashland honored him this season with the annual Larry Conley Classic, a one game event, which will be an annual game going forward. I’m 99% sure he attended. I graduated with his niece that you’re referring to. She & Larry’s nephew are both friends of mine. Her mother (Larry’s sister) was a gym teacher at Ashland & coached the girls team in the past. And, she looks just like Larry, lol. Good people.
 
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JHannibalSmith said:
Yes, he is definitely royalty, here. Ashland honored him this season with the annual Larry Conley Classic, a one game event, which will be an annual game going forward. I’m 99% sure he attended. I graduated with his niece that you’re referring to. She & Larry’s nephew are both friends of mine. Her mother (Larry’s sister) was a gym teacher at Ashland & coached the girls team in the past. And, she looks just like Larry, lol. Good people.
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I assume you are referring to Rusty? I had her as gym teacher but I knew her well as a family friend since I was young. Her husband and his brother and family were great people as well. Linda was extremely successful as a coach. I guess you know their dad George Conley coached Ashland as well.
 
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paulcalhoun said:
I assume you are referring to Rusty? I had her as gym teacher but I knew her well as a family friend since I was young. Her husband and his brother and family were great people as well. Linda was extremely successful as a coach. I guess you know their dad George Conley coached Ashland as well.
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Yeah, I was talking about Rusty. We went all through school together & played with & against each other in various sports. I can’t wait to tell him he was randomly mentioned here, lol. And, yeah I knew George was coach here. Through the early 90s the Conley name/lineage was a staple at Ashland & synonymous with basketball. Lots of them came thru the program.

The Lynches probably have the best, or at least the longest, basketball legacy in Ashland, now, bc they are still churning them out. But, many likely still consider the Conleys as Ashland’s first family of basketball. I had no idea that you’re from Ashland. What year did you graduate?
 
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One of my favorite players from Ashland was a 6'4" guard, Earl "Brother" Adkins, who played at UK in the late 50's. I remember when either Hatton or Odie Smith was out a game, Earl started and scored 20 some points. Reportedly, he was in Rupp's dog house because he was married and Rupp didn't like his players being married. Rupp apparently believed it detracted from their focus on basketball. Do you know whatever happened to Earl. Great player! How about 6'8" Clint Wheeler another Ashland product that played for UK for a couple of years in the 60's or 70's. Whatever happened to him?
 
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tug1543 said:
One of my favorite players from Ashland was a 6'4" guard, Earl "Brother" Adkins, who played at UK in the late 50's. I remember when either Hatton or Odie Smith was out a game, Earl started and scored 20 some points. Reportedly, he was in Rupp's dog house because he was married and Rupp didn't like his players being married. Rupp apparently believed it detracted from their focus on basketball. Do you know whatever happened to Earl. Great player! How about 6'8" Clint Wheeler another Ashland product that played for UK for a couple of years in the 60's or 70's. Whatever happened to him?
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www.legacy.com

Earl Adkins Obituary (1933 - 2023) - Birdseye, IN - Lexington Herald-Leader

View Earl "Brother" Adkins's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.
www.legacy.com
 
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My dad played baseball at UK the same years Larry was there. He was buddies with several of the basketball players but always spoke highly of Larry. I know they connect a few times after school but it's been many many years since my dad has seen any of those guys.
 
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I don't have details but the folks I know that know Larry said recently that his health has been quite bad for awhile. It's been awhile since I heard that so hopefully he has improved.
 
blue cincy said:
www.legacy.com

Earl Adkins Obituary (1933 - 2023) - Birdseye, IN - Lexington Herald-Leader

View Earl "Brother" Adkins's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.
www.legacy.com
Click to expand...
Thank you for the information on Earl. I was sorry to learn of his passing. I thought he was one of the most underutilized players during Rupp's Era. A retired Army Special Forces full Colonel, Harold Fraley, who I served with for several years and was also a Sandy Hook, Ky native was married to a girl from Ashland. Her first name was Lynn and she was close friends with Earl and his wife. She had told me about Earl's marriage issue with Rupp.
Just as an asside, Harold played basketball at Eastern Ky,(52-56) went through ROTC and was one of the original Army special forces(green berets). He commanded a special ops battalion and brigade and retired in 1987 as the deputy commander of all U.S. Army Special Forces.
 
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JHannibalSmith said:
Yeah, I was talking about Rusty. We went all through school together & played with & against each other in various sports. I can’t wait to tell him he was randomly mentioned here, lol. And, yeah I knew George was coach here. Through the early 90s the Conley name/lineage was a staple at Ashland & synonymous with basketball. Lots of them came thru the program.

The Lynches probably have the best, or at least the longest, basketball legacy in Ashland, now, bc they are still churning them out. But, many likely still consider the Conleys as Ashland’s first family of basketball. I had no idea that you’re from Ashland. What year did you graduate?
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I was class of '88. I actually grew up in church with the Lynch's. Bobby of course played bb at Alabama and he was without a doubt the best softball player I ever witnessed. Rusty and his brother are great guys by the way.
 
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paulcalhoun said:
I was class of '88. I actually grew up in church with the Lynch's. Bobby of course played bb at Alabama and he was without a doubt the best softball player I ever witnessed. Rusty and his brother are great guys by the way.
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I’m 91. Probably a good chance we know each other or have a few common friends. Yeah, Rusty & Tim are both great guys. I didn’t know Tim as well bc he was a few years older. I think he might’ve been in your class. I was a FR when he graduated IIRC.

And, I also know the Lynches very well. I grew up on the same street (Willis) as them, very close to the church, & played with Rob & Ryan daily. I played on a different little league team but Bobby coached the Yankees & he coached some of the all-star teams I played on & I had the pleasure of taking batting practice from him. He still had a nasty curve, lol. They always said he was a better pitcher than basketball player & I can believe it. Absolute stud on the softball field as you said. He liked to tell stories about guarding Maravich while at Alabama & joked about holding him to 47 or something like that. They are wonderful ppl, as well.
 
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JHannibalSmith said:
I’m 91. Probably a good chance we know each other or have a few common friends. Yeah, Rusty & Tim are both great guys. I didn’t know Tim as well bc he was a few years older. I think he might’ve been in your class. I was a FR when he graduated IIRC.

And, I also know the Lynches very well. I grew up on the same street (Willis) as them, very close to the church, & played with Rob & Ryan daily. I played on a different little league team but Bobby coached the Yankees & he coached some of the all-star teams I played on & I had the pleasure of taking batting practice from him. He still had a nasty curve, lol. They always said he was a better pitcher than basketball player & I can believe it. Absolute stud on the softball field as you said. He liked to tell stories about guarding Maravich while at Alabama & joked about holding him to 47 or something like that. They are wonderful ppl, as well.
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We lost to Shelby County in the 66 Baseball Regionals that had Mike Casey and Ron Ritter,they went to the state championship and lost to Ashland 2-1 I think. They had two Lynches that pitched and one was drafted I believe.
 
TeoJ said:
We lost to Shelby County in the 66 Baseball Regionals that had Mike Casey and Ron Ritter,they went to the state championship and lost to Ashland 2-1 I think. They had two Lynches that pitched and one was drafted I believe.
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Yes, that was Bobby’s brother Bill. He was a big lefty. And, quite dominant from what I understand. He was drafted by the Indians but blew his arm out early, I think. It was before my time, but, I think that’s how it happened. He also lived on the same street & had a son who became a good basketball player at Ashland. But, that 66 team was the beginning of the first 3-peat baseball state champion in KY history. Bobby played a big part on the 67 & 68 championship teams.
 
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The better of the two pitched the championship game,the supposedly better pitcher pitched the day before.
 
tug1543 said:
Rip,
Was Doug Cundiff on that 55 Breathitt County Team? My hometown team, Sandy Hook, had some barn burners with Breathitt Co during the mid 50's. Cubdiff played for Morehead state for a year or two. Sandy Hook had all 5 of their starters on the 58 team receive college scholarship offers. Specifically, Bob Rice 6'6 started on the UK freshman team, Orb Bowling, 6'10 played 4 years for Univ of Tenn, Stanley Banks 6'4 played for Pikeville, Billy Manning 6'0' guard with a 40 inch vertical offered a scholarship to Fla State and Roy Fannin 6'2" guard played for Eastern Ky. With all that talent we could never get out of the region because of Meade Memorial and Brathitt Co. Also did you ever see Corky Withrow, Howie Crittenden, Harry Todd, Mickey Gibson, Donnis Butcher and King Kelly Coleman play in high school. I always thought that if Rupp could have signed(and Kept) all these KY high school players from the 50's he would have won 2 or 3 more NCAA championships.
Click to expand...
Tug:
My father started taking me to the State Tournament when I was 5 years old. I saw Howie Crittenden and Doodles Floyd win it all for the Cuba Cubs in 1952. I saw every game that King Kelly Coleman played in the 1956 State Tournament - including the Consolation Game on that Saturday afternoon when Wayland beat Bell County 122-89. King Kelly had 68 points in that game. As you know, Corky Withrow and Harry Todd also played in the 1956 State Tournament. Corky played for Central City and Harry Todd played for Earlington. Harry, Corky, and King Kelly all made the All-Tournament Team. I later saw Harry Todd play for Western Kentucky State College (now WKU, of course) in the Old Red Barn in Bowling Green. That Western team had Bobby Rascoe (Daviess County) and Daryl Carrier (Bristow H.S.) at guard; Harry Todd and a 6'4" guy named Bobby Jackson at forward; and "The Horse" - Charley Osborn, 6'6", from Flat Gap H.S., at center. I saw lot of great players from Hazard H.S., like Johnny Cox in the 1955 State Tournament, and Don Smith in '58, Jim Rose and Joe Davis in '64, and Freddie Hogg and Chester Rose in '65 - but I don't think Mickey Gibson ever made it to the State Tournament, and I never saw Mickey play at U.K. Sorry but I don't know any of the other names that you mentioned.
It's clear that you know a lot of Kentucky high school basketball. I always enjoy remembering those days and those players.
And finally ... all of my growin' up years playing basketball, what I wanted more than anything was to get to play in the State Tournament. We had a really good team when I was a junior in high school. The starters were four seniors, and me. We lost to Allen County in the championship game of the Fifth Region tournament in 1964. Missed going to the State Tournament by one game ! One of the two or three biggest disappointments of my life.
But ... nevertheless ... Go 'Cats ! ! !
 
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