Bill Bradley: A Lifetime of Basketball Dedication Honored in Kentucky's Court of Honor
BY JAMES COLLIER
THE ASHLAND BEACON
Bill Bradley has dedicated over half of his life to the game of basketball.
After all the veteran coach gave to the game before calling it quits in 2022, the game decided to give back with Bradley’s induction in the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches’ Court of Honor. Bradley was joined by Dupont Manuel’s Stacy Pendleton and Leslie County’s Larry Sparks for this year’s class.
“The Court of Honor was especially grand,” Bradley said. “One has to first to be nominated and then accepted. It’s good to know you’re appreciated, meaning the time and effort that was put in all of those years. I was able to go in with Stacey Pendleton. We coached the Ky/Ohio All Star game together.”
Bradley’s resume speaks for itself. He started at Holy Family, the school where his playing days took place from 1970-73. Bradley’s first coaching job was with the Fighting Irish where he worked as an assistant for three years before taking control of the reins for three more.
Bradley joined Boyd County’s boys’ program under Roger Zornes as an assistant from 1986-2001. In 2001, Bradley would take what became his final job assignment for his career, becoming the head coach for the Ashland Kittens.
Bradley’s first year with the Kittens finished at 21-10, 64th District Tournament runners-up and a berth into the 16th Region semifinals where they fell, 62-40 to West Carter. Bradley led the Kittens to the region finals in 2011, but they fell 57-45 to Boyd County, ending their season at 26-5.
Then came 2012. Ashland steamrolled its way to Bradley’s first 16th Region title with a 55-44 win over Boyd in the championship. Ashland went 29-7 that season and was 22-0 in region play. Ashland fell to Magoffin County in the opening round of the Girls Sweet 16. But it was only the beginning as Bradley’s Kittens would go on to win four consecutive 16th Region titles which included a Final Four appearance in the Sweet 16 in 2014.
Bradley defeated fellow Court of Honor and colleague, Hager Easterling in the region championship in 2014, defeating East Carter 45-41. Regardless of the outcomes in their multitude of meetings, many in elimination games, the duo’s relationship etched in stone by basketball remains as strong as ever.
“First class guy all the way, both on and off the floor,” Easterling said. “He’s a person I always enjoyed talking to then and still do today. Always did a great job at preparing his kids to compete against you. You weren’t going to out coach him.”
Pete Fraley was another fierce competitor Bradley faced throughout his career. Fraley worked at the helm of the Kittens district rival, Boyd County before hanging it up after this season. Fraley and Bradley started as assistants under Zornes with Boyd boys’ basketball before both moved into the girls ranks as competitors.
“Bill is one of the most deserving people I know to be inducted into the court of honor,” Fraley said. “Not just for girls’ basketball but for what he done at Holy Family as well as an assistant at Boyd. He coached freshmen basketball at Catlettsburg and was the girls’ softball coach at Boyd. I still feel the boy’s staff at Boyd during their hay day was one of the best in the state. Roger was the captain of the ship, but he had good assistants too. Bill was one of the best. Always quick-witted in the heat of the battle.”
Bradley and Fraley met 80 times over their storied careers including five times for the regional championship with the last coming in 2022, when Fraley’s Lions won 51-35 in Bradley’s final game.
“I always looked forward to our games,” Fraley said. “You had to be on your toes and bring your A game when you coached against him.”
Another of Bradley’s region foes was Mandy Layne from Russell. Much like Fraley, Bradley and Layne often found each five times in the regional tournament. During the 2022 tournament, Bradley’s Kittens notched a three-point win over the Red Devils in what would be the final chapter between Bradley and Layne and their 28 meetings.
“Bill is one of the good guys,” Layne said. “He is not only a great coach, but also a great friend. During the game, we competed, but afterwards, we were usually laughing and joking.”
Layne, who is the most tenured coach in the 16th Region after the retirement of Fraley, said the longevity of Bradley’s career speaks volumes for what he meant to the game.
“Sustainability in any sport these days is a very difficult thing to do,” Layne said. “In order to build a successful program and sustain it over many years makes you one of the best to ever do it. He will always be one of the best to ever do it.”
Bradley tallied 405 wins over his storied career but said his success was directly related to those players around him.
“99% of true coaches would say, it's about the family of teams I was part of,” Bradley said. “I was extremely fortunate enough to be a part of remarkable things. The opposing coaches I became pals with, the championship squads, the awesome staffs and players that I will never forget. From the All-Staters to the last player that got put into the game, they were all special.”
As Bradley reflected on his time in the game, the memories he had were too many to count or even remember, even as he sifted through all the memorabilia he stored away in the attic after retiring. But one picture remains on his desk still today that stands out over all others.
“Only thing I keep on my desk is a picture my daughter Morgan someone took as she is dribbling the ball after a steal in the regional finals, with me in the background watching,” Bradley said. “Made me realize my proudest was coaching her.”
Bradley said his message to those who worked with him and played under him has always been the same thing, play the game with respect and the rest will take care of itself.
“I was a loyal, total team player on the staffs I was lucky to be on when I was an assistant at Boyd,” Bradley said. “At Ashland, our gals were taught by me and my great staffs (whom I don't talk about enough) to play the game right. Play it hard, with great discipline and always put team first above individual stats.”
