Douglass Deamons (high school basketball), Lexington, KY, 1957

Prior to 1957, the boys high school basketball teams did not play in an integrated tournament in Lexington, KY, or any other location in Kentucky. The Douglass High School team, the Deamons, was the first all-Negro team to play in the 43rd district tournament, February of 1957. The game took place in the University of Kentucky Memorial Coliseum. The Deamons were initially intimidated by the size of the gym and the crowd, but they were able to pull it together and beat the Nicholasville High School basketball team 87-45. All of the Douglass starters scored in double digits. Sam Corman was the leading scorer for Nicholasville.

• Douglass High School - George Bell 21 points; Lyman Jones 20 points; John Burdette 18 points; Paul Price 15 points; Henry Bell 13 points; Coach Charles Livisay
• Nicholasville High School - Sam Corman 18 points; Harlan Veal 12 points; Knight 2 points; Brumfield 2 points; Belcher 2 points; Royse 5 points; Hager 2 points; Goss 2 points - Coach Ralph Carlisle

For more see B. Thompson, "Douglas[s], Lafayette, Dunbar, advance in 43rd tourney," Lexington Leader, 02/28/1957, p. 9; and "Open high school tourney to Negroes," Crusader, 02/01/1957, p.1.