Sweet 16’s top scorers in back-to-back games

March 17, 2017 FieldsColumn

BY MIKE FIELDS (March 17, 2017)

Scott senior guard Jake Ohmer has put on a scoring show in his first two games in the 100th Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 this week.

Ohmer created a buzz in Rupp Arena by pouring in 41 points in Scott’s first-round victory over Harlan County, and following it up with 32 in a quarterfinal win over Perry County Central.

That gives Ohmer 73 points in back-to-back games in the state tournament.

Is that a record?

It’s not even close.

“King” Kelly Coleman

“King” Kelly Coleman of Wayland set the standard with a two-game total of 96 points in 1956. He had 28 points in a semifinal loss to Carr Creek, then came back that night with 68 against Bell County in the consolation game.

Coleman totaled 89 points in the first two rounds of the ’56 tournament. He had 50 in Wayland’s opener against Shelbyville and 39 in the Wasps’ quarterfinals against Earlington.

Coleman came into the 1956 state tournament averaging 46.8 points and only improved on it during that historic week in Memorial Coliseum.

Jack Jennings of Holmes is the closest to King Kelly on the Sweet 16’s back-to-back scoring list. In 1988, Jennings had 39 in a first-round win over Buckhorn and 41 in a quarterfinal loss to Ballard.

Here’s a rundown on some of the top back-to-back scoring games in state tournament history:

96 points — Kelly Coleman, Wayland (1956). 28 vs. Buckhorn; 68 vs. Bell County.
89 points — Kelly Coleman, Wayland (1956). 50 vs. Shelbyville; 39 vs. Earlington.
80 points — Jack Jennings, Holmes (1988). 39 vs. Buckhorn; 41 vs. Ballard.
75 points — Robert Brooks, Madison (1970). 28 vs. Owensboro; 47 vs. Breathitt County.
73 points — Linville Puckett, Clark County (1952). 47 vs. Somerset; 26 vs. Pikeville.
73 points — Manuel Forrest, Moore (1981). 26 vs. Oldham County; 47 vs. Simon Kenton.
73 points — Antwain Barbour, Elizabethtown (2000). 42 vs. Russellville; 31 vs. Lexington Catholic.
73 points — Jake Ohmer, Scott (2017). 41 vs. Harlan County; 32 vs. Perry County Central.
72 points — Jeff Lamp, Ballard (1977). 29 vs. Owensboro; 43 vs. Valley.
69 points — Bo Roaden, Corbin (1991). 42 vs. Knott Central; 27 vs. Fairdale.
69 points — Richie Farmer, Clay County (1988). 18 vs. PRP; 51 vs. Ballard.
68 points — Ron King, Central (1969). 24 vs. Maytown; 44 vs. Ohio County.
68 points — Dan Langhi, Marshall County (1995). 43 vs. Simon Kenton; 25 vs. St. Xavier.

Some Sweet Sixteen high scorers didn’t get a chance to follow up a big game. For example, Don Ringstaff of Livingston Central had 46 points in a first-round loss to Olive Hill in 1959, and Rick Hall of McDowell had 42 in an opening loss to Ashland in 1966.

Sweet 16’s top scorers in back-to-back games

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