Greenwood’s 1,000-point club in boys basketball consists of eight players whose high school careers span a little over five decades.
Senior swingman Eric Moenkhaus, who is on track to be the next to join, is more focused on helping his team improve than individual accomplishments.
“If I get it, it’s an outcome of all the input that I’ve put in,” said the 6-foot-3 Moenkhaus, the Woodmen’s leading scorer at 15 points a game entering Friday night’s Johnson County tournament semifinal against Franklin.
“It’s pretty big, but at the same time, I’m really about winning.”
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At 8-2, Greenwood is off to its best start since the 2001-02 season, when it had the same mark after 10 games.
Moenkhaus isn’t convinced the Woodmen have played to their potential yet. However, the 50.2 points per game they allow are their fewest since the 2005-06 campaign (49.9).
“I don’t think we’re playing nearly as well as we’re capable,” he said. “Almost every game, we seem to have two stints where we do, and that’s really what wins the game for us.”
Against Whiteland in Tuesday’s first-round county game, Moenkhaus atoned for a technical foul he received that nearly cost his squad the game. He hit four free throws late and finish with 16 points as the Woodmen escaped, 58-55, in overtime.
“Eric’s a marked man, and I think he knows that. Everybody knows he can shoot the ball, so he gets different defenses designed to go at him,” Greenwood coach Joe Bradburn said. “He takes a lot of pressure off his teammates because he’s able to shoot the ball and penetrate.
“He’s trying to be more of a complete player. He’s been more aggressive on defense, and we need him. We go how Eric goes at times.”
Moenkhaus is part of a senior nucleus capable of spawning three new 1,000-point career scorers. Moenkhaus is at 888 points, followed closely by 6-7 center Jeffrey Reynolds (863). A little further down the list is guard Braydon Kincaid (775).
Two college basketball programs have offered Moenkhaus scholarships: Anderson University, which is Division III, and Huntington University, an NAIA program. Wabash College is showing interest as well.
“The ultimate goal was to get to Division I, but that ship has kind of sailed. I’m just trying to find a best-fit program for me at this point,” Moenkhaus said.
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1,000-POINT CLUB
Boys basketball players at Greenwood who have eclipsed 1,000 career points:
Name;Class;Points
Ronnie Cooper;1965;1,461
Gary John;1963;1,101
Jim Anthony;1966;1,090
Bobby Jahn;1978;1,081
*Jaren Hornbeak;2014;1,070
Brian Wilson;1994;1,053
Jeff Smith;1984;1,045
John Bass;1969;1,021
* – played freshman season at Indianapolis Tindley
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