[Black Bear Phenom]

Well I'm not sure, but I know these few should be on there regardless...
1.) Michael Jones (Harlan ind. Because if you look at the KHSAA he's nearly at the top of every record
2.) Nick Sanford (Cawood, I think I recall a banner hanging in LMU's gym saying he's 2nd all-time scoring in college basketball)
3.) Phil Cox (Cawood, best shooter from the mountains by far, not to mention had an awesome career at vandy)
4.) Wallace jones (Harlan ind. By far the greatest athlete from Harlan county, the mountains, or the university of KY)
5.) Paul gaffney (Lynch, well he played for the globe trotters I'd that tells you anything)
6.) Charles Thomas (Harlan ind. Amassed over 3000 points and played for Minnesota)
7.) Bernie Bickerstaff (lynch or benham, possibly cumberland, but yeah he played in the NBA, and now coaches in it)

[C.Clair]

Cecil Clair has to be mentioned on this list.

[Gold Charger]

Others not mentioned are:

Paul Smith , Owsley Co, Miss. State
Jimmy Hollon, Hazel Green Acd, Alabama

[Scotty doesn't know]

Todd May, apparently can still ball with the younger dudes. From what I hear from down around Virgie!

[rojas]

Well I'm not sure, but I know these few should be on there regardless...
1.) Michael Jones (Harlan ind. Because if you look at the KHSAA he's nearly at the top of every record
2.) Nick Sanford (Cawood, I think I recall a banner hanging in LMU's gym saying he's 2nd all-time scoring in college basketball)
3.) Phil Cox (Cawood, best shooter from the mountains by far, not to mention had an awesome career at vandy)
4.) Wallace jones (Harlan ind. By far the greatest athlete from Harlan county, the mountains, or the university of KY)
5.) Paul gaffney (Lynch, well he played for the globe trotters I'd that tells you anything)
6.) Charles Thomas (Harlan ind. Amassed over 3000 points and played for Minnesota)
7.) Bernie Bickerstaff (lynch or benham, possibly cumberland, but yeah he played in the NBA, and now coaches in it)

I don't think Bernie Bickerstaff ever played in the NBA. He played 2 years of college ball at Rio Grande College and 2 years at San Diago State. As an NBA coach in is 33rd in all time wins even though he has about 100 more loses that wins. He has also been a general manager and currently an assistant coach with the Bulls.

[nedreader]

No way Michael Jones from Harlan should be on the list. He's not even top 50 maybe not top 100. I agree that Phil Cox is the best shooter ever from the Mountains and is definitely on the list. He went off for 42 against Clay Co. in the early 80s... one of the best individual performances I've ever seen. Not sure Nick Sanford makes the list but he was a beast.

[Mountain]

I believe the list above was for players who could make the list from Harlan Co. You could make a strong case for all of those players. Sanford would also have to make the list for the all-time mountain team.

[rojas]

Well I'm not sure, but I know these few should be on there regardless...
1.) Michael Jones (Harlan ind. Because if you look at the KHSAA he's nearly at the top of every record
2.) Nick Sanford (Cawood, I think I recall a banner hanging in LMU's gym saying he's 2nd all-time scoring in college basketball)
3.) Phil Cox (Cawood, best shooter from the mountains by far, not to mention had an awesome career at vandy)
4.) Wallace jones (Harlan ind. By far the greatest athlete from Harlan county, the mountains, or the university of KY)
5.) Paul gaffney (Lynch, well he played for the globe trotters I'd that tells you anything)
6.) Charles Thomas (Harlan ind. Amassed over 3000 points and played for Minnesota)
7.) Bernie Bickerstaff (lynch or benham, possibly cumberland, but yeah he played in the NBA, and now coaches in it)

I watched Cumberland play extensively during the mid 80s. Paul Gaffney was maybe the 2nd or 3rd best player on his own team. I think you are basing this on Gaffney becoming a Globtrotter.

[Unregistered]

I watched Cumberland play extensively during the mid 80s. Paul Gaffney was maybe the 2nd or 3rd best player on his own team. I think you are basing this on Gaffney becoming a Globtrotter.

Gaffney was probably the best player on his team by the time he was a senior, but he was behind Sanford and Miller as far as the top players in the county.

[Jarons]

Well I'm not sure, but I know these few should be on there regardless...
1.) Michael Jones (Harlan ind. Because if you look at the KHSAA he's nearly at the top of every record
2.) Nick Sanford (Cawood, I think I recall a banner hanging in LMU's gym saying he's 2nd all-time scoring in college basketball)
3.) Phil Cox (Cawood, best shooter from the mountains by far, not to mention had an awesome career at vandy)
4.) Wallace jones (Harlan ind. By far the greatest athlete from Harlan county, the mountains, or the university of KY)
5.) Paul gaffney (Lynch, well he played for the globe trotters I'd that tells you anything)
6.) Charles Thomas (Harlan ind. Amassed over 3000 points and played for Minnesota)
7.) Bernie Bickerstaff (lynch or benham, possibly cumberland, but yeah he played in the NBA, and now coaches in it)

I didn't know Bernie Bickerstaff was from Kentucky

[Warriors23RJ]

King Kelly Coleman (Wayland)
Richie Farmer (Clay County)
Johnny Cox (Hazard) - NBA
Ervin Stepp (Phelps)
Sam Smith (Hazard) - ABA
Shannon Hoskins (M.C. Napier & Clay County)
J.R. VanHoose (Paintsville)
John Phelfry (Paintsville)
Wallace Jones (Harlan) - NBA
Jim Rose (Hazard) - ABA
Ben Bowling (Perry Central)
Michael Jones (Harlan) - Got to have someone who would pass

Coach: I guess Bobby Keith (Clay County) 14 regional titles, no one in the mountains can beat that.

Sorry Carr Creek I know they had some of the best teams in the mountains but I think they were mostly just GREAT teams..

Shannon Hoskins. Really?? All-Time. Wow.

[Warriors23RJ]

1.King Kelly Coleman (Wayland)
2.Richie Farmer (Clay County
3.JR Van Hoose (Paintsville)
4.Jeremy Hall(Allen Central)
5.Grady Wallace (Betsy Layne)
6.Ervin Stepp (Phelphs)

[White Feather]

Figured this might be fun, Name a coach and 10-15 players that you think would be on an all-time all-mountain team.

This would probably be fun, but considering all players in the mountains that has ever played is imposible. The people that compose this site are probably of an average age of 21, therefore it would be impossible to select players that these people have never seen or heard of. You might do better with an all decade team from each district and region.

[BondJamesBond]

King Kelly Coleman - Forward
Todd May - Forward
J.R. Vanhoose - Center
Todd Conley - Guard
Elisha Justice - Guard

Off the Bench with this team...

[Bob Seger]

Lincoln Collinsworth- Salyersville/UK

[Alpha_Male]

This would probably be fun, but considering all players in the mountains that has ever played is imposible. The people that compose this site are probably of an average age of 21, therefore it would be impossible to select players that these people have never seen or heard of. You might do better with an all decade team from each district and region.

Thats true but I found out about alot of players I've never heard of and I'm 20. That was kind of what I was going for..haha

[Scotty doesn't know]

King Kelly Coleman - Forward
Todd May - Forward
J.R. Vanhoose - Center
Todd Conley - Guard
Elisha Justice - Guard

Off the Bench with this team...

I agree with this! I think that is a team that in their prime (EJ still is) could hang with just about anyone!

[rojas]

I agree with this! I think that is a team that in their prime (EJ still is) could hang with just about anyone!

If your team doesn't include Wah Wah Jones its kind of bogus, don't you think?

[Bear_Paw]

Phil Cox was a Mr. Basketball and four-year starter at Vandy. He was a Mr. Basketball one year after Stepp.
Nick Sanford was a starter on the 1986 Kentucky All-Star team and was a four-time All American at LMU.
Ask Bobby Keith if these two guys belong on a top 15 list in the mountains.

Totally Agree! He will also tell you about the 85 Cumberland Team.

I have not seen Mike Granato name....but he should be considered....

[More Cowbell]

King Kelly Coleman (Wayland)
Richie Farmer (Clay County)
Johnny Cox (Hazard) - NBA
Ervin Stepp (Phelps)
Sam Smith (Hazard) - ABA
Shannon Hoskins (M.C. Napier & Clay County)
J.R. VanHoose (Paintsville)
John Phelfry (Paintsville)
Wallace Jones (Harlan) - NBA
Jim Rose (Hazard) - ABA
Ben Bowling (Perry Central)
Michael Jones (Harlan) - Got to have someone who would pass

Coach: I guess Bobby Keith (Clay County) 14 regional titles, no one in the mountains can beat that.

Don't know how you made this list and left off Todd May from Virgie. He won Mr. Basketball, earned a basketball scholarship to UK, then later transferred to Pikeville College after an injury and smashed the NAIA scoring records. Can't have a Top 10 list without him on it.

[More Cowbell]

Just some food for thought... I went to the all-time list of KY Mr. Basketball winners, and found ten that could possibly be considered as being "from the mountains". They were:

King Kelly Coleman (Wayland) 1956
Ervin Stepp (Phelps) 1980
Phil Cox (Cawood) 1981
Todd May (Virgie) 1982
John Pelphrey (Paintsville) 1987
Richie Farmer (Clay Co.) 1988
Charles Thomas (Harlan) 1995
J.R. Vanhoose (Paintsville) 1998
Walt Allen (South Laurel) 2006
Elisha Justice (Shelby Valley) 2010

Not saying this is the Top 10, just some info I found interesting. The mountains really hit a dry patch for Mr. Basketball between Coleman and Stepp, 24 years apart. Also, props to Paintsville for being the only mountain school to claim two winners.

[More Cowbell]

1.King Kelly Coleman (Wayland)
2.Richie Farmer (Clay County
3.JR Van Hoose (Paintsville)
4.Jeremy Hall(Allen Central)
5.Grady Wallace (Betsy Layne)
6.Ervin Stepp (Phelphs)

Nice list, but Jeremy Hall is not sniffing the Top 10 of all-time. He was a good scorer, and those battles with Todd Conley were fun to watch, but he doesn't make it onto this list.

[ole_blue_sack_15]

shannon hoskins
richie farmer
ben bowling
johnny cox
kelly coleman

[Bob Seger]

Don't know how you made this list and left off Todd May from Virgie. He won Mr. Basketball, earned a basketball scholarship to UK, then later transferred to Pikeville College after an injury and smashed the NAIA scoring records. Can't have a Top 10 list without him on it.

I believe that was after an injury plagued year at Wake Forrest before going there though.

[SEKYFAN]

Good list, but has to have these two added...

Glen Combs from Carr Creek has to be on there. Va Tech in college. Was drafted in the NBA by San Diego in 1968. Played in the old ABA for several years.

Frank Selvy, from Corbin, played college at Furman. First pick of 1958 NBA draft. Played 10 years in NBA.

Selvy was the #1 pick in the 1954 NBA draft and was a 2 time NBA all star.

[SEKYFAN]

I am a little surprised there is no mention of Jerry Bird. He was a star at UK and played briefly for the Lakers and Knicks in the NBA.

Jerry Smith, who was also from Corbin was the 13th overall pick in the 1963 nba draft.

[More Cowbell]

I believe that was after an injury plagued year at Wake Forrest before going there though.

Yes, he did transfer first from UK to Wake, then to Pikeville College.

[I Rule The World]

It's hard for me to believe thats theres no mention of Tim Couch on anyones list...

I guess it's because he ranked as the 6th greatest high school athlete of all time by ESPN... It wasn't just because he played only football...
An outstanding basketball player with just as many basketball scholarship offers, as football offers...

[I Rule The World]

Here is the link..

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/highschool.html

[Blacksmith]

I dont live far from Wayland. Ive been fortunate enough to talk to people who lpayed with and against Kelly Coleman...Pretty much everyone said the same thing..
(After shaking thier head) "I just dont know how he did it. He shot the ball from anywhere he wanted, and half drunk half the time"
I cant vouch for everything Ive heard but we all know what the record books say..
.
I know its the boys forum but probably the best girls player in Kentucky history came from right up the road in Geri Grigsby. He stats are as impressive..She was finally passed on the all time scoring list but that girl played from 91-96 where Geri played 75-77(only three seasons).. ..She holds two national records(and most of the Ky girls scoring records) and averaged just shy of 50 per game her senior year..