Friday, March 23, 2001
Elder - Brookhaven scouting report
What: Division I state semifinal.
When: 6 p.m. today.
Where: Jerome Schottenstein Center, Columbus.
Records: Elder 20-6, Brookhaven 26-0.
Tickets: $7 at gate.
Radio/TV: WTSJ-AM (1050); Warner Amex (Digital Subscribers).
Scoring averages: Elder 62.0 ppg, Brookhaven 83.9.
Defensive averages: Elder 50.0 ppg, Brookhaven 51.2.
Starting lineups: Elder Tim Schenke (F, 6-6, Sr.); Scott Benken (F. 6-5, Sr.); Phil Bengel (C, 6-7, Sr.); Jake Bazeley (G, 6-3, Sr.); Mike Mahon (G, 6-0, Sr.). Brookhaven Ronald Lewis (F, 6-4, Sr.); Brandon Foust (F, 6-6, So.); Anthony Murphy (C, 6-8, Jr.); Chris Edwards (G, 5-8, Sr.); Raheem Moss (F, 6-3, Jr.).
Notable: The Columbus City League hasn't sent a team to the Division I or Class AAA Final Four since 1979. Its last team to finish No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll was Northland in 1982.
Brookhaven broke the drought in both categories, going undefeated and reaching the state semis.
Coached by Bruce Howard, the Bearcats are a balanced team, using a nine-player rotation. Five (Lewis 17.2, Foust 10.2, Moss (14.2, Dante Patterson 10.8, Andrew Lavender 11.2) average in double figures.
An up-tempo team, Brookhaven will attempt to get an early lead and force Elder to play its game. However, the Bearcats adapted to slow-down tactics used by four opponents during the tournament.
Elder also is balanced in scoring with four starters (Schenke 11.0, Benken 10.0, Bazeley 13.0 and Mahon 10.0) in double figures. Bengel (6-foot-7, 245 pounds) is the enforcer in the middle.
Joe Schoenfeld's Panthers prefer playing the more physical, half-court game, relying on a man-to-man defense to hold opponents to 50 or fewer points.
Officiating could play an important role in the outcome. If the game is called close, Brookhaven will have the advantage due to superior depth. If the game is loosely called, look for Elder to have the advantage.
This is Brookhaven's first appearance in the state semifinals and Elder's sixth. The Panthers won back-to-back state championships in 1973-74 while also claiming the title in 1993.
A member of the Greater Catholic League South, Elder will try to make it four state championships for the GCL in the past six years.
La Salle won in 1996, Moeller did in '99 and St. Xavier last season.
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