KHS Basketball History James Naismith was credited with inventing the game of “Basket Ball” in 1891 in Massachusetts, and the great game made its way to Kokomo in the fall of 1903. Ironically, basketball started with the female gender, brought to the city by Miss Catherine Ashton Hughes, a Hanover College graduate and German teacher at Kokomo High School. Hughes had intramural leagues for the girls, and then boys started to show interest in the game as well. Toward the end of 1903, Louis Guetz was named the boy’s basketball coach in a sport just starting to gain interscholastic approval. The first boys’ basketball game in Kokomo High School history was on February 12, 1904. Kokomo hosted a team from Logansport, and the game was played in the eighth grade assembly room in the basement at the high school. Kokomo, which lost that game 23-21, had a starting five of Walter Applegate, Wayne Carr, Everett Bennett, Charles Rice, and Lee Rhodes. The first season saw a record of two wins and two losses. The Sargasso, Kokomo’s yearbook, reported that the first basketball team was “. .loyally supported by the school board, the superintendent of schools, the faculty and the students, and will no doubt remain the most popular athletic game in the school.” The nickname for Kokomo High School seemingly dates back to basketball in the 1915-16 season. A team showing great speed, agility, and a ferocious attitude led to a moniker of “The Wild Cats.” Of course, that turned into Wildcats, and in 1984, it officially became the Kokomo Wildkats. Among other venues for the KHS basketball teams were the YMCA, the new KHS gymnasium in 1916, the Haworth Gymnasium (which burned down in 1944), the National Guard Armory, and Memorial Gymnasium, a facility then capable of seating over 7000 which saw its first Kokomo High School basketball game on November 18, 1949. Thru the 2019 season, Kokomo High School has 116 years of boys’ basketball under its belt. Under the direction of 25 head coaches, KHS has played 2730 games, winning 1742 of them. K.H.S. BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME BOYS GIRLS INDIANA ALL STARS 1939 Neil Hercules 1993 Tiffany Longworth 1940 Chet Gabriel 1993 Mistina Oliver 1941 Carl Campbell 1993 Cari Stover 1942 Jack Turner 1994 Debbie Benziger 1944 Gene Turner 1997 Tamie Stiner 1945 Tom Schwartz * 1999 Heather Cusick 1946 Maurice Conwell 2001 Hillary Beck 1952 Junior Phipps 2003 DeUnna Hendrix 1955 Jim Butcher 2003 Anne Thatcher 1956 Paul Conwell 2006 Audrey McDonald 1959 Jimmy Rayl * 2008 Kayla Drake 1961 Rich Scott 1961 Ron Hughes 1962 Jim Ligon 1970 Bruce Rose * Mr. Basketball 1988 Brian Hogan 1996 Lee Coomler 2012 D.J. Balentine 2014 Tayler Persons 1000 POINT CLUB MEMBERS 1900 Jim Ligon (1962) 1936 Tiffany Longworth (1993) 1632 Jimmy Rayl (1959) 1479 Debbie Benziger (1994) 1280 D.J. Balentine (2012) 1391 Heather Cusick (1999) 1270 Tim McFarland (1976) 1210 DeUnna Hendrix (2003) 1199 Brad McNulty (1972) 1175 Audrey McDonald (2006) 1163 Charlie Hall (1974) 1174 Mistina Oliver (1993) 1134 Ron Hughes (1961) 1126 Ashley Hayes (2003) 1131 Tayler Persons (2014) 1056 Tia Davis (1999) 1124 Bruce Rose (1970) 1007 Tamie Stiner (1997) 1114 Brandon Wood (2007) 1076 Brad Sebree (1990) 1056 Geoff Shuck (1971) 1020 Jordan Matthews (2016) TRESTER AWARD WINNERS 1925 Russell Walter 1944 Walter McFatridge 1959 Jimmy Rayl STATE CHAMPIONS, RUNNERUPS, and FINAL FOURS CHAMPS: 1961 CHAMPS: 1992, 1993 2003 RUNNERUPS: 1925, 1944 1959, 1989, 2011 RUNNERUPS: 1994 OTHER OTHER FINAL FOURS: 1941,1962,1997 FINAL FOURS: 1996, 1999, 2001, 2005, OTHER STATE FINALS 1914,1916,1917,1918,1919, 2006 APPEARANCES 1920,1927,1929,1930,1933 K.H.S. BASKETBALL COACHES 1903 - 2019 Coach Years Coached Wins Losses Pct Louis Guetz 1903-1908 (5) 24 13 .649 Frank Anderson 1904-1905 (1) a 1 0 1.000 R.R. Cromwell 1908-1910 (2) 16 6 .727 Raymond D. Chadwick 1910-1912 (2) b 14 7 .667 Mike Harrell 1911-1917 (6) 66 41 .617 W.W. Lindley 1917-1919 (2) 30 20 .600 Ward Gilbert 1919-1921 (2) 32 28 .533 Chester Hill 1921-1928 (7) 94 78 .547 Arthur Masters 1928-1931 (3) 45 37 .549 Walter Cross 1931-1933 (2) 24 28 .462 J. Paul Jones 1933-1934 (1) 9 16 .360 Alfred Campbell 1934-1942 (8) 130 77 .628 Ralph King 1942-1947 (5) 87 43 .669 Frank Overton 1947-1950 (3) 40 32 .556 Joe Platt 1950-1964 (14) c 260 80 .765 Russell Bratton 1963-1964 (1) 18 7 .720 Les Ray 1964-1968 (4) 68 36 .654 Carl McNulty 1968-1986 (18) 256 172 .598 Charlie Hall 1991-1992 (1) d 14 6 .700 Basil Mawbey 1986-2000 (14) 248 80 .756 Mike Wade 2000-2005 (5) 61 55 .526 Rick Baumgartner 2005-2006 (1) 10 11 .476 Brian McCauley 2006-2014 (7) 130 58 .691 Matt Moore 2014-2017 (3) 42 31 .575 Bob Wonnell 2017-2019 (2) 23 26 .469 KOKOMO HIGH SCHOOL 1903-2019 116 1742 988 .638 a - Anderson coached one game during the 1904-1905 season with Guetz coaching the rest. b - Chadwick coached 12 games during the 1911-12 season with Harrell coaching the other five contests. c - Platt was the Wildkat mentor for the first two games of the 1963-64 campaign before his health forced Bratton to finish that season. d - Mawbey coached the first seven games of the 1991-92 season before heart surgery afforded Hall the opportunity to direct the Wildkats for the last 20 games of the year. K.H.S. BOYS BASKETBALL COACHES K.H.S. BASKETBALL Coaches by Wins Coach Years Coached Wins 1 Joe Platt 1950-1964 (14) 260 2 Carl McNulty 1968-1986 (18) 256 3 Basil Mawbey 1986-2000 (14) 248 4T Brian McCauley 2006-2013 (8) 130 4T Alfred Campbell 1934-1942 (8) 130 6 Chester Hill 1921-1928 (7) 94 7 Ralph King 1942-1947 (5) 87 8 Les Ray 1964-1968 (4) 68 9 Mike Harrell 1911-1917 (6) 66 10 Mike Wade 2000-2005 (5) 61 11 Arthur Masters 1928-1931 (3) 45 12 Matt Moore 2014-2017 (3) 42 13 Frank Overton 1947-1950 (3) 40 14 Ward Gilbert 1919-1921 (2) 32 15 W.W. Lindley 1917-1919 (2) 30 Coaches By Winning Percent Coach Years Coached Wins Losses Pct 1 Frank Anderson 1904-1905 (1) 1 0 1.000 2 Joe Platt 1950-1964 (14) 260 80 .765 3 Basil Mawbey 1986-2000 (14) 248 80 .756 4 R.R. Cromwell 1908-1910 (2) 16 6 .727 5 Russell Bratton 1963-1964 (1) 18 7 .720 6 Charlie Hall 1991-1992 (1) 14 6 .700 7 Brian McCauley 2006-2014 (8) 130 58 .691 8 Ralph King 1942-1947 (5) 87 43 .669 9 Raymond D. Chadwick 1910-1912 (2) 14 7 .667 10 Les Ray 1964-1968 (4) 68 36 .654 11 Louis Guetz 1903-1908 (5) 24 13 .649 12 Alfred Campbell 1934-1942 (8) 130 77 .628 13 Mike Harrell 1911-1917 (6) 66 41 .617 14 W.W. Lindley 1917-1919 (2) 30 20 .600 15 Carl McNulty 1968-1986 (18) 256 172 .598 K.H.S. BOYS BASKETBALL COACHES K.H.S. BASKETBALL BASKETBALL RECORDS 1903 - 2019 YEAR W L PCT YEAR W L PCT YEAR W L PCT 1903 - 1904 2 2 .500 1945 - 1946 19 7 .731 1987 - 1988 24 3 .889 1904 - 1905 4 1 .800 1946 - 1947 15 10 .600 1988 - 1989 25 6 .806 1905 - 1906 10 6 .625 1947 - 1948 17 7 .708 1989 - 1990 17 5 .773 1906 - 1907 4 2 .667 1948 - 1949 11 14 .440 1990 - 1991 18 6 .750 1907 - 1908 5 2 .714 1949 - 1950 12 11 .522 1991 - 1992 19 8 .704 1908 - 1909 8 4 .667 1950 - 1951 17 9 .654 1992 - 1993 18 6 .750 1909 - 1910 8 2 .800 1951 - 1952 25 3 .893 1993 - 1994 15 8 .652 1910 - 1911 5 4 .556 1952 - 1953 17 9 .654 1994 - 1995 22 4 .846 1911 - 1912 10 7 .588 1953 - 1954 18 8 .692 1995 - 1996 24 2 .923 1912 - 1913 5 8 .385 1954 - 1955 18 5 .783 1996 - 1997 23 5 .821 1913 - 1914 7 10 .412 1955 - 1956 18 4 .818 1997 - 1998 16 7 .696 1914 - 1915 10 11 .476 1956 - 1957 8 14 .364 1998 - 1999 12 9 .571 1915 - 1916 18 4 .818 1957 - 1958 23 4 .852 1999 - 2000 14 8 .636 1916 - 1917 25 4 .862 1958 - 1959 23 6 .793 2000 - 2001 13 10 .565 1917 - 1918 14 11 .560 1959 - 1960 23 3 .885 2001 - 2002 9 12 .429 1918 - 1919 16 9 .640 1960 - 1961 28 1 .966 2002 - 2003 17 7 .708 1919 - 1920 18 11 .621 1961 - 1962 26 2 .929 2003 - 2004 8 15 .348 1920 - 1921 14 17 .452 1962 - 1963 14 12 .538 2004 - 2005 14 11 .560 1921 - 1922 11 12 .478 1963 - 1964 20 7 .741 2005 - 2006 10 11 .476 1922 - 1923 11 11 .500 1964 - 1965 18 8 .692 2006 - 2007 5 16 .238 1923 - 1924 15 9 .625 1965 - 1966 20 6 .769 2007 - 2008 13 9 .591 1924 - 1925 11 19 .367 1966 - 1967 12 14 .462 2008 - 2009 15 8 .652 1925 - 1926 20 4 .833 1967 - 1968 18 8 .692 2009 - 2010 16 6 .727 1926 - 1927 13 13 .500 1968 - 1969 10 15 .400 2010 - 2011 23 3 .885 1927 - 1928 13 10 .565 1969 - 1970 15 8 .652 2011 - 2012 20 5 .800 1928 - 1929 15 14 .517 1970 - 1971 16 8 .667 2012 - 2013 22 3 .880 1929 - 1930 13 15 .464 1971 - 1972 17 5 .773 2013 - 2014 16 8 .667 1930 - 1931 17 8 .680 1972 - 1973 14 10 .583 2014 - 2015 10 13 .435 1931 - 1932 7 17 .292 1973 - 1974 20 5 .800 2015 - 2016 14 11 .560 1932 - 1933 17 11 .607 1974 - 1975 16 8 .667 2016 - 2017 18 7 .720 1933 - 1934 9 16 .360 1975 - 1976 16 8 .667 2017 - 2018 12 12 .500 1934 - 1935 11 13 .458 1976 - 1977 10 15 .400 2018 - 2019 11 14 .440 1935 - 1936 18 8 .692 1977 - 1978 13 12 .520 1936 - 1937 9 17 .346 1978 - 1979 16 8 .667 1937 - 1938 17 9 .654 1979 - 1980 19 4 .826 1938 - 1939 22 5 .815 1980 - 1981 11 12 .478 1939 - 1940 20 6 .769 1981 - 1982 10 12 .455 1940 - 1941 20 7 .741 1982 - 1983 13 9 .591 1941 - 1942 13 12 .520 1983 - 1984 14 10 .583 1942 - 1943 10 14 .417 1984 - 1985 18 8 .692 1943 - 1944 21 8 .724 1985 - 1986 8 15 .348 1944 - 1945 22 4 .846 1986 - 1987 15 9 .625 K.H.S.