STATE PREVIEW | Today's game

POLAND vs. UPPER SANDUSKY
What: Division II state semifinalWhen: 8:30 p.m.Where: Value City Arena inside the Schottenstein Center at Ohio State University, Columbus.Tickets: 12.
Poland (22-3)Regular season
56Lakeview3884Chaney4970Rayen4251Campbell5456Fitch3952Boardman4349Niles3468Struthers4554Howland4960East Liverpool4056Salem3851Canfield5447Campbell4450Niles3362Struthers5377Howland5652Canfield5570East Liverpool4462Salem3556Springfield29
Tournament
81Chaney5758Lakeview4749Canfield4542Painesville Harvey4169Cle. Benedictine58
Bulldogs scouting report: The key word for this team is balance. Three starters (Lou Coppola, Chris Lovell and Ben Umbel average between 11 and 12 points per game, but Anthony DeFelice (9 ppg) and Charlie Carchedi (7 ppg) are also capable of carrying the scoring load. Carchedi is the team's defensive specialist and usually gets the toughest assignment. "We're a defense-oriented team," said Poland coach Ken Grisdale, who has a 223-100 record in 14 seasons. "We like to play more of a half-court game." That said, the Bulldogs aren't slow. They start four guards (Coppola is a center) and are excellent at trapping and pressuring opponents. Poland isn't deep enough to play at Upper Sandusky's pace (the Bulldogs go seven deep, with Brad Brocker and David White the first off the bench), but it will run at times. "We're going to try and limit their possessions," Umbel said. "But they're going to run and the way they play is going to give us more possessions and more scoring chances, too." Poland is averaging 59.3 points per game and is giving up 44.9. The Bulldogs shoot 50 percent from the field, 66 percent from the line and 36 percent from 3-point range. "We know they have a great player inside and they do a lot of things well," Upper Sandusky coach Keith Diebler said. "We've got a great deal of respect for the job Ken Grisdale has done and we know we have our work cut out for us." The Bulldogs are making their third state tournament appearance, losing in the semifinals to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (76-36) in 2002 and Lexington (59-47) in 1972. "I feel like all season we kept getting better and you saw the momentum building," Grisdale said. "Beating Canfield in the district final was the the hurdle that our kids needed to get over and after that, the kids started to relax."
Upper Sandusky (22-3)Regular season
85Bucyrus Winford7589Fostoria7698St. Xavier100116Willard7376Shelby72104Bellevue83103Toledo Whitmer91119Gallion7675Greenfield McClain10491Tiffin Columbian6292Bucyrus4893Norwalk8787Fostoria7397Willard91106Shelby10190Bellevue93100Gallion61100Tiffin Columbian7393Sycamore Mohawk7490Norwalk64
Tournament
97Galion5699Clyde73100Lexington9279Van Wert6291Olmsted Falls81
Rams scouting report: Although the focus is on Jon Diebler, Ohio's all-time leading scorer, the Rams have plenty of other players who can step up. Sophomore Alex Falk is the second-highest scorer at 19.4 per game, with Drew McClellan averaging 10.6 per game. "From the Falk kid down the line, they're pretty darn good," Grisdale said. "They're always in go-gear and defensively they get up on you. They're constantly creating pressure, getting you to play faster than you want to play." Still, the focus is on Diebler, who has scored an Ohio record 3,136 points over his career, including 1,030 this season. Upper Sandusky was ranked 10th in the final Associated Press poll. Keith Diebler (Jon's father) is 67-9 in three years with the Rams, leading them to their only other state appearance in 2005 when they defeated Wooster Triway 94-86 for the state title. Jon's older brother, Jacob, was a member of the 2005 team and now plays at Valparaiso. Upper Sandusky averages 94.8 points per game and gives up 77.6. "Our kids have done a good job of approaching every game like they're playing their last game," Keith Diebler said. "I don't think they'll be intimidated by the surroundings and they'll be prepared mentally and physically."
Joe Scalzo