Ca()l Brannen fires up, Crusaders fot7 77-54 victory game behind. La S~11e ra 11Y ~~n 't Salle"Myone-half parents and coach (Carl) overcome deftctt 'Kremer talked to me about controlling my emotions," Brannen· BY DAVE SCHUTTE j ~ / l ,,. IiJ ~~id. "The past is behind me an~ Enquirer Contributor ·
The word was out on how to beat Moeller's highly touted basketball team and the strategy seemed to be working. Following Crusader losses to Elder and Princeton the past week, it was obvious that the key was getting Bobby Brannen, Moeller's 6-8 junior center, in foul trouble and emotionally upset. But Friday night against La Salle, it was a new and calm Brannen who took the floor against the Lancers and the result was a stunning 77-54 victory over the Laneers. The victory vaults Moeller into a first-place tie with Elder in the Greater Catholic League with La
1t s now the new Bobby Brannen. Although Brannen was one of four Moeller players in double figures, he was dominant on the inside, scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds while staying foul free. . "We've been struggling," Kre~ mer admitted. "We talked all week about not panicking and the kids kjpt it under control. This was a big win and should help the team mentally." Mter missing their first five shots, Moeller finally got it together in the first period, rallying from a 7-2 deficit to take a 21-9 lead. Mike Bel! led the charge with seven points. · "It was just one of those nights when everything went our way,"
Moeller dominates La sane, 77-54
Kremer said. "La Salle is an exce1 lent team and I know that it will a lot tougher when we play them ~ our place." . The Crusaders put the garr:0 out of reach in the second perio ·outscoring the Lancers 28-11. Er Kappler came off the bench to le 1 the way with eight points. "Eric's our second leading sco er as a substitute," Kremer sai "He's come in the game sever times this season and sparked usi1 La Salle rallied briefly in th fourth period behind Colin O'Co nor, but the 29-point halftime deft cit was too much to overcome., [ . "This could be the turning poirt for us," Brannen said. "Everyon' played great and tonight we wen• very unselfish." \ The Greater Cincinnati League'1 South title probably will come down. to Moeller's return match against Elder on Feb. 5 at Moeller. MOELLER
(n) -
-
Brisben D-1 D-0 0; Schimpf 2-4 D-0 6,_ ----,,,.- .. ·,.-
-··
·Evers o-o 1-2 1, Dunlap 1-1 0-0 2, Keating 1-2 0-0 2, Wegm~n 3-5 o-o 6, Brannen 5-14 6·6 .16, Kappler 5-8 6-6.17, Green 0-1 o-o o, Ben 7-9 2-3 17, Henmann 4-10 1-2 10, Debow D-1 D-2 0. , Totals: 28-56 16-21 77. ; La SALLE (54) - Kelley 2-4 0-0 4, Gonella 3-12 2-2 8, Mahoney 0-2 2-2 2, Dodd 1-1 o-o 2, Murphy 2-2 0-0 4, Smiley 2-5 o-o 6, O'Connor 8-16 1-2 20, Rizzo 1-2 o-o 3, Joerger 0-2 0-0 0 Supe 2-5 0-0 4. Totals: 21-51 5-6 54. Moeller -----·------·-----21 28 13 15-77 LaSalle--··---------'. 9 11 17 17-54 Three point field goals: M-Schimpf 2, Kappler, Bell, Heilmann. L-Kelley, Smiley 2, O'Connor 3. Records: L 6·5, 4-1 GCL; M 8·4, 4·1 GCL
Crusaders remain tied .with winning Elder . Post staff report . I 1
}t'-ffJ . .
r
r_
.·
I Senior forward Eric Kappler ' scored 12 of his 17 points in the first quarter as Moeller, ranked No.6 in The Post's coaches poll, beat: La Salle, 77-54, in a GCL South game Friday night at La Salle. · The victory helps Moeller keep pace with Elder for first place in the GCL South. . Senior guard Mike Bell. also had 17 point's and junior center Bobby Brannen added 16 points. Senior Colin O'Connor scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Lancers. MOELLER La SALLE
21 28 13 15-77 .9 11 17 17-54
MOELLER (77) :·Schimpf 2 0 6, Evers 0 1 1, Dunlap 1 0 2, Keating 1 0 2, Wegman 3 0 6, Brannen 5 6 16, Kappler 5 6 17, Bell7 2 17, Heilmawn 4110. Totals 28 16 77. . La SALLE (54) : Kelley 2 0 5, Gonnella 3 2 8, Mahoney 0 2 2, Dodd 1 0 2, Murphy 2 0 4, Smiley 2 0 6, O'Connor 8 1 20, Rizzo 1 0 3, Supe 2 0 4. Totals 21 5 54. Three-point goals: M-Schimpf 2, Kappler, Bell,n Heilman. LS-O'Connor 3, Smiley 2, Kelley, Rizzo. Records: Moeller 8-4, 4-1 GCL; La Salle 6-5, 4-2. JV: La Salle won.
Brannen.;' Moeller b2~h</St. X, 56-44 Senior forward Bobby Brannen scored 26 points with 13 rebounds to lead Moeller to a 56:44 Greater Catholic League South victory at Moeller Friday night. Brannen scored six quick points in the second quarter, when Moeller outscored St. X, 17-6. Moeller remains unbeaten in . the GCLS. i ST. XAVIER (44) - McMahon 4 1 9, Higgins 2 2 6, McPete 2 0 4, Marshall 2 1 5, Hammer 4 0 8, G. Johnson 1 0 2, F. Johnson 50 10. Totals: 20 4 44 MOELLER (56) - WegmaM 1 1 3, Smith 1 2 5, Kwiatkowski 0 2 2, Young 2 1 5, Keating 4 1 9, Brannon 9 6 26, Deball3 o 6. Totals: 20 13 56 · St. Xavier 9 6 14 15-44 Moeller 10 17 14 15-56 3-polnt goals: M- Brannon 2, Smith. Records: St. Xavier 5-6 (GCL 3-2), Moeller 6-2 (4·01.