Bath welcomes new coach, Orem leaves Fleming

In essence, Bath County and Fleming County worked out a trade with Pikeville High School for basketball coaches. The Wildcats gained former PHS boys’ coach Bart Williams, while the PHS Lady Panthers came away with Fleming County’s Kristy Orem.

Williams arrives in Owingsville after 23 years in Pikeville, including the last 11 as the Panthers’ head coach.

A University of Pikeville graduate, Williams played basketball at the school and is its’ all-time leading scorer. He was inducted into the UPike Hall of Fame in 1998.

Williams becomes the 10th head coach at Bath County in the last 19 years. Since the turn of the century, only two individuals spent more than two seasons piloting the Wildcat boys’ basketball program. Both of them lasted just three years.

“I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t think we could win and we could win next year,” Williams said on Monday at the school during a ceremony introducing him to the community. “I would not have even considered coming here if I didn’t think we could win the 16th Region next year or the year after … I want my son (Bryce) and these seniors and these juniors to play in Rupp Arena.”

Williams won nearly 200 games in his 11 seasons at Pikeville. The Panthers captured four district titles and advanced to the 15th Region Tournament six times during his tenure.

“His longevity (23 years) and success (192-138 record) at Pikeville High School would seemingly make him a great hire for any school,” stated BCHS Athletic Director Arlen McNabb via email. “His enthusiasm for the game and his knowledge of the sport that he displayed in his interview with the search committee only add to his credibility. I believe that he will be a good fit for our Wildcats basketball program.”

Williams replaces Sean Noble, who posted a 13-46 mark in two seasons. In March, Noble took a job at Bourbon County and will be an assistant for the Colonels this upcoming winter.

Bath County last notched a winning record in 2011-12. The Wildcats have only won one 16th Region Tournament game in 19 years.

“I’m not going to look into the past. We’re going to look into the future,” Williams said. “We’re going to work hard and we’re going to do everything first class and that’s a promise.”

Williams almost did not become Bath County’s coach. On Monday, he admitted he was very interested in the same position at Russell.

However, in the Williams’ sweepstakes, the score is Bath County 1. Russell 0.

At Monday’s ceremony, Williams recapped the conversation he and his wife Taryn had the night before driving to Owingsville for his interview.

“I told my wife, ‘I don’t think I’m going to go to Bath County. I think I want to go all in and try to get the Russell job. I think it would be a good fit for us,’” he said. “She said, ‘Well, you probably ought to go and listen to Bath County, if nothing else for a practice interview for your interview for Russell,’ she said, ‘You never know’.

“We’ve tried to keep a positive attitude over the last month or two. God has a plan for us and he’s probably going to show us where we need to be,” he continued. “I called my wife as soon as we got out of the interview and said, ‘I really love this place … ‘I’d like for you to come and see this.’ The following Sunday, the boys (Bryce and Brooks) and my wife and my mom and dad, we came down here again … And they fell in love with it the same exact way I did … Both my boys told me that before I went to interview at Russell that they loved Bath County, and I think that’s a testament to the people here and how I was treated right off the bat. So, we kind of worked out the details and here I am.”

Russell has since hired Bryan Groves, while Pikeville’s new coach is former Mr. Basketball, Elisha Justice.

Just prior to the announcement regarding Justice’s hire, Pikeville held a press conference to introduce Orem.

After serving as Fleming County’s girls’ basketball coach for the past 16 years, Orem is trading one set of Lady Panthers for another.

Attempts to reach Orem for a comment were unsuccessful.

In her career at Fleming County, Orem compiled a 275-205 record and won six district titles. The FCHS Lady Panthers have qualified for the 16th Region Tournament in 14 of the last 15 years.

Orem replaces Bobby Spears, who led Pikeville to a 17-13 record this past season.