ELIZABETHTOWN — Clem Haskins is confident that one high school sport rules the roost in Kentucky.

“This is a basketball state,” Haskins said. “Other sports are very important, but basketball is No. 1 today, yesterday, and it’ll be No. 1 tomorrow.”

High school basketball had its time in the spotlight Saturday, as Haskins and 15 others were inducted as the first class of the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame at the Historic State Theater in Elizabethtown.

Another of the inductees was Haskins’ daughter, Clemette, who played at Warren Central High School and Western Kentucky University. The two stayed close to each other and pulled friends in for pictures as they welcomed fans before the induction ceremony.

“I’m a little biased, but I think Kentucky basketball is better than any state in the country,” Clemette Haskins said. “To me, a hall of fame has been a long time coming, but it’s a tremendous honor to be in a class that celebrates Kentucky basketball. I think that’s about one of the best accomplishments I can have.”

Four players who competed for WKU were inducted Saturday, including the Haskinses. Jim McDaniels, a standout at Allen County High School, and Geri Grigsby were also honored.

During a reception before the induction ceremony, McDaniels basked in fan support, signing autographs and posing for pictures – the smile rarely leaving his face.

“I couldn’t believe the absolute love I was feeling from people all over today,” McDaniels said. “Young and old, black and white. It was phenomenal. I’m never going to forget it as long as I live.”

McDaniels was the 1967 Mr. Basketball and finished his high school career as one of four players in state history to record more than 3,000 points and 2,000 rebounds.

The inductees were honored Saturday in pairs. McDaniels and Wes Unseld, a former Seneca High School and University of Louisville star, were billed as “The Marvelous Men in the Middle.”

“For a guy like me from a small town in Scottsville, Ky. – couldn’t ride the bus back in those days,” McDaniels said. “It shows you that God can rise up, to give a kid like Jim McDaniels the chance to be honored like this now. I give God all the glory.”

Clem and Clemette Haskins entered as the “First Family of High School Basketball.”

“We’ve been able to get a lot of awards individually, but this is probably the sweetest one because the older I get, the more I appreciate what a great basketball player he was and what we’ve done in the state,” Clemette Haskins said. “It’s been great to do it together.”

Clemette Haskins scored 2,856 points in her career and led Warren Central to the state championship in 1983, when she was named Miss Basketball as a senior.

“It brought together the community in a way that was kind of unparalleled,” she said. “We had people that didn’t have connections to Warren Central that would follow us. It was a special time.”

Clem Haskins had successful careers on the hardwood and coaching sidelines, but sharing Saturday with his daughter was a rare treat, he said.

“I’m happy for her, and I’m excited for us to be honored among the greatest players to ever play in Kentucky,” he said. “To be in this class is really, really special. It’s one of the highlights of my lifetime.”

There were plenty of familiar guests from the Bowling Green area in the crowd Saturday. Among them were WKU athletic director Todd Stewart and former Hilltoppers Bobby Rascoe, Darel Carrier and Clarence Glover.

Former Warren Central and WKU coach Tim Riley, current WCHS coach William Unseld and current Lady Topper assistant Curtis Turley were also in attendance.

“Obviously, Hilltopper and Lady Topper basketball goes way back, in terms of the rich history,” Stewart said. “For us to have four representatives in this class is special, and that’s a testament to how special our programs are.”

Saturday’s other inductees were Kelly Coleman, Ralph Beard, Darrell Griffith, S.T. Roach, Ralph Carlisle, Richie Farmer, Bobby Keith, Cliff Hagan, Rex Chapman, Roy Bowling and Wallace Jones. All 13 living inductees attended the event.

The organization was expected to host more than 500 people for its first class, which has been about four years in the making. Based on the turnout and support, the event was a success, McDaniels said.

“Other states have had a high school basketball hall of fame, and we needed it,” he said. “The excitement is unbelievable. Cameras everywhere, people everywhere. It’s second to none.”