(2) CLEVELAND HEIGHTS VS. (3) BRUSH

What: D-I Euclid District semifinal

When: March 5, 7 p.m. Where: Euclid

Records: Cleveland Heights 18-5, Brush 18-5 On deck: The winner advances to the Euclid District final March 7against the victor between Mentor and University.

For the record: Cleveland Heights and Brush meet in a much-anticipated rematch of the teams’ battle at the Play-by-Play Classic in Euclid in January. The Tigers won that game, 69-64, due in part to the Arcs’ struggles at the foul line. John Hugley was nearly unstoppable the first time around, racking up 32 points, while Elmore James added 19. Brush needs those two to step up again, similar to their performance in the team’s sectional final win over Benedictine. The Arcs overcame a double-digit deficit in the first half to beat the Bengals by seven, while Cleveland Heights rolled to a 36-point victory against Madison. These teams played in the semifinal round last year, a game Brush won to eliminate Cleveland Heights. The Tigers have added motivation after they were removed from the state tournament by the OHSAA then won an appeal in a Cuyahoga County court to gain reinstatement. Senior Akron commit Garvin Clarke, who led Euclid to the Solon District title last year, runs the show for the Tigers and is flanked by EJ Farmer in the backcourt. Farmer is one of Northeast Ohio’s most explosive scorers. Hugley provides Brush an advantage in the

frontcourt, while Farmer and Clarke give Cleveland Heights the upper hand in the backcourt. The side that best accounts for the other team’s strength will likely advance to the Euclid District final.

Barnes’ pick:

Cleveland

For the record: Lake Catholic returns to the floor where its 2018-19 season ended when Geneva authored a stunning upset of the Cougars. The bitter memory of that district semifinal motivates Lake Catholic and the Cougars carry a 10-game winning streak into their game against Glenville. Luke Frazier, signed to play at Dayton, found a new level in his game during the season’s second half and has played like one of the state’s best players. Meanwhile, Miami (Ohio) signee Luka Eller continues to deliver consistent double-doubles for coach Matt Moran. Bryon Ottrix is an electric scorer for Glenville at point guard and the rest of his teammates cause problems on the glass with their length and athleticism. Perimeter defense and collective rebounding will be paramount for Lake Catholic against the Tarblooders, who are certainly capable of pulling an upset.

Barnes’ pick: Lake Catholic

Barnes’ record: 34-7