In 1965, a senior graduated from Bishop Brossart High School. Sixty years later, that same graduate is now known as “Mr. Mustang,” a figure whose impact on athletics at the school runs so deep that he is honored with a two-day boys’ basketball showcase bearing his name.
That man is Dave Schabell.
“I graduated from Brossart and I guess I never had the sense to leave,” Schabell said. “I bleed green. I’ve been offered jobs in other places, but I’ve never been tempted to go anywhere else. I’ve never been paid a dime to do any of this.”
Now 78 years old, Schabell spent the opening night of the event seated behind the Mustangs’ bench, headphones on, delivering play-by-play from a courtside table during Bishop Brossart’s game at The Dave Schabell Classic in Alexandria. It was a familiar role for someone who has spent decades as one of the most recognizable voices and faces associated with Mustang athletics.
His impact, however, reaches far beyond what fans hear on the broadcast.
Away from Bishop Brossart, Schabell served his country in the military and worked for Procter & Gamble. Long before becoming a fixture around the Mustangs’ basketball program, he was already deeply involved in youth and community athletics, donating his time to baseball and football leagues, while also running the St. Peter and Paul basketball leagues.
When his coaching path eventually led him to Brossart, Schabell made his mark at multiple levels. He guided numerous freshman boys’ teams and later took over the varsity girls’ basketball team for five seasons from 1986-91. During that stretch, the Mustangs compiled a 99–45 record and advanced to the 9th Region semifinals.
His contributions off the court have been just as extensive as those on it. He has managed the BMustangs.com website since its launch in 2001 and handled a wide range of behind-the-scenes responsibilities over the years. Through it all, he has remained a constant voice on the broadcast, connecting generations of Bishop Brossart players, coaches and fans.
“I blew my knee out about three years ago and that changed my life,” Schabell said. “I’m more dependent on others for transportation — dropping me off, picking me up. I’m 78 years old. I look in the mirror and it’s an old man looking back. As long as I can get up in the morning, I’ll continue to do it.”
A six-time hall of famer, he is a Kentucky Colonel, the first Bishop Brossart representative inducted into the 10th Region Hall of Fame, and a member of the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Court of Distinction.
Among those accolades, the 10th Region Hall of Fame induction holds particular meaning.
“It was huge for me because when Brossart entered the 10th Region in 1997, we weren’t welcome,” Schabell said. “All of a sudden it was us, Campbell and Silver Grove going into a region that had been a tight-knit unit. We worked hard on being good citizens in the 10th, and when I was elected to the Hall of Fame, I felt like we finally made it.”
That sense of appreciation was evident throughout the first ever The Dave Schabell Classic, which featured three games each night, one junior varsity contest and two varsity matchups. Schabell’s presence was felt well beyond the headset, as he personally handed out plaques following each game and created the event programs himself, detailing the participating teams along with his own long-standing ties to Bishop Brossart athletics.
The event required months of behind-the-scenes planning. Boys’ basketball head coach Ben Franzen, now in his fourth season leading the program, said honoring Schabell had been on his mind long for awhile.
“These things aren’t easy to do, so you rely on a lot of different people,” Franzen said. “You try not to ask Dave to do much because it’s for him, and he still ended up making the program. It takes a lot of hands — planning, meals, plaques, everything — and I’m thankful for everyone who helped make it happen.”
The opening night featured a junior varsity game, followed by varsity matchups between Roger Bacon (Ohio) and Holmes, and Walton-Verona against the host Mustangs. Tuesday night again includes a junior varsity opener, followed by Bishop Brossart vs. Roger Bacon and Holmes vs. Walton-Verona to close out The Dave Schabell Classic.
“I hope it showed at least a little appreciation for him,” Franzen said. “The least we could do was have a night for him. People like Dave don’t come around very often.”
Here’s a recap of the two varsity games on the first night:
Roger Bacon 52, Holmes 47
Defense wasn’t the issue for Holmes.
Instead, offensive struggles and costly mistakes proved to be the difference as the Bulldogs faded down the stretch in a loss to Roger Bacon.
Holmes controlled the tempo early, building a 15–9 lead after the first quarter and carrying a 27–22 advantage into halftime. That momentum disappeared quickly coming out of the break, as Roger Bacon erupted in the third quarter.
The Spartans opened the second half with a decisive 13–0 run, turning a 29–26 deficit into a 37–29 lead. Roger Bacon outscored Holmes 20–9 in the quarter to take a 42–36 advantage into the fourth.
“I thought the biggest problem was we turned the ball over too much in the third quarter,” Holmes head coach Sam Elsbernd said. “That led to them having a big run. We’ve got to eliminate the small mistakes as much as we can if we’re going to have success.”
Roger Bacon found offense from unexpected sources. The Spartans’ leading scorer, Christian Byrd, entered the game averaging 23 points per contest but was held to 11. Instead, Michael Noszka Jr. stepped up in a big way, pouring in 22 points to earn Player of the Game honors.
Mason Hammoor added 12 points for Roger Bacon.
Holmes (4–6) was led by Mark McCutchen Jr. and Rashad Whitfield with 13 points apiece. Michael Chames also finished in double figures with 11.
Walton-Verona 60, Bishop Brossart 41
Walton-Verona’s strategy of emphasizing paint touches and perimeter shooting proved too much for Bishop Brossart in the final game of the night.
Head coach Mike Hester wasn’t sure exactly how many paint touches his team had, but he knew one thing: they made 11 three-pointers. That balance helped the Bearcats secure the win.
“We emphasize paint touches,” Hester said. “We strive for 40 a game. It creates so many shots, and with so many shooters on the perimeter, it opens things up for our guys.”
Bishop Brossart fell behind early, trailing 21-12 after the first quarter, but much of the offense they generated came through the hot hand of Nick Cozzi. Cozzi scored 11 consecutive points, including all seven in the second quarter, but Walton-Verona ended went into halftime shooting 6 of 11 from three, taking a 35-19 lead into halftime.
“When you play a team that gets to the basket really well and shoots a lot of threes, it’s a tough matchup,” Bishop Brossart head coach Ben Franzen said. “That got them the lead at halftime and put us in a hole.”
The Bearcats extended their advantage to 55-31 after three quarters before putting the game away.
Walton-Verona (5-4) was led by Cole Dryden with 13 points, while player of the game Wyatt Shearer added 12.
Bishop Brossart fell to 3-6, with Cozzi scoring 13.
More photos from the night, provided by Charles Bolton:
