Thursday, March 16, 2000
Brossart sees foe in 3, D
BY MARK SCHMETZER
Enquirer contributor
Graves County, Bishop Brossart's first-round opponent in the state Sweet 16 boys basketball tournament today, looks very familiar to Mustangs coach Willie Schlarman.
“I think the team you can compare them to most of all is Highlands,” said Schlarman, a former Bluebirds basketball player and assistant coach. “They plan man-to-man defense most of the game, and they're very well versed on offense. They stick to their game plan. Highlands played them a couple of years ago in the Sweet 16, and it was like watching the same team at both ends of the floor.”
Brossart (19-12) will play the 27-3 Eagles at 1 p.m. today at Lexington's Rupp Arena.
Schlarman didn't know a lot about Graves County, the champion of the First Region, which is south of Paducah.
“We've got some information on them, but Paducah's six hours away, and it's not easy to get there,” Schlarman said. “They're in the same boat as us. We're a long way away from them.”
Schlarman did know that the Eagles allowed opponents an average of 44.1 points per game during the regular season. That was the second-lowest figure in Kentucky behind the 41.2 allowed by Owensboro Catholic.
“They are very deliberate with the ball,” Schlarman said. “It's not necessarily all defense. They'll hold the ball for a minute and a half, turning their offense over and over. They take care of the ball.”
The Eagles also shoot the ball well. They ranked sixth in the state with a .410 3-point percentage during the regular season, led by Tyler Wiles, who hit 44 percent (70-for-159) during the regular season.
Wes Johnson shot 65 percent from the field during the regular season.
“Wiles is a great shooter,” Schlarman said. “He'll hit from six or seven feet behind the (3-point) line.”
The Mustangs expect to be at full strength for the opener with the return of junior guard Chris Ryan from an ankle injury, which he suffered in the first quarter of Brossart's 10th Region championship win over Mason County Saturday.
“It was the same one he sprained earlier in the season, but he's going to be alright,” Schlarman said. “He'll be ready to go.”
The Mustangs left a day early for Lexington, both to watch the Thoroughbreds and to try to get some practice time at Memorial Coliseum.
“We've had three days to prepare for those guys,” Schlarman said. “Not playing until Thursday will be helpful. Hopefully, we'll be able to get used to shooting with nothing behind the basket.”
The winner is scheduled to play the winner of the following game, between Russellville (26-5) and Corbin (29-2), at 7 p.m. on Friday. The semifinals are scheduled for 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, and the championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday.
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