BOYS BASKETBALL SPOT LIGHT

Bob Schurtz knew all too well how J.B. Fitzgerald was feeling.

Fitzgerald, a standout tight end for the West Windsor-Plainsboro South High football team, had committed to the University of Michigan and capped a successful scholastic career on the gridiron by helping the Pirates reach the Central Jersey Group IV final.

However, basketball season was rolling around, and Schurtz, who served as the football team's offensive coordinator, was hoping Fitzgerald would play for the squad in which he is head coach. Fitzgerald, who averaged double figures last season, attempted to play, but after he sprained his thumb in a scrimmage, Fitzgerald decided not to risk the full scholarship.

"I tried to convince him to play," Schurtz said. "I was in his situation. I had a full scholarship to the University of Rhode Island when I was in (Absegami) high school. I considered not playing basketball my senior year, but as I told J.B., it was the most fun I ever had. I was able to relax and play and not have to worry about pressure."

Schurtz, who ended up transferring to The College of New Jersey, where he had a stellar career as a quarterback, could have used Fitzgerald early on. His Pirates hoops team had a rough 2-4 start to the season.

"We miss him," Schurtz said of Fitzgerald. "When you are as athletic as he is, you know you have a competitive person. He was a little banged up from football and decided to concentrate on getting stronger for the next level. The good news is that I've gotten to give playing time to others."

Schurtz and the Pirates aren't the only team missing a Division I football talent who would have been helping out on the hardwood this season. Stephen Shimko graduates from Ewing this month and has already enrolled at Rutgers where he is on a football scholarship.

Shimko had a solid season for the Blue Devils last season as they captured a sectional title. Instead of having an experienced returning starter, head coach Shelly Dearden only has none, and the Blue Devils' inexperience is showing through with their 2-5 start.

"We do; we definitely miss Stephen," Dearden said. "He was the one varsity player with experience that would have been returning for us. So just with that alone, it would have helped. With him being 6-foot-6, he rebounds pretty well, so that would have helped us tre mendously.

"He's got a scholarship to play at a major Division I football program. That's an opportunity of a lifetime for most kids. As much as he is representing himself, he is representing Ewing High and the Ewing community. With the sports- minded town that we are, everybody is behind him."

The situation has improved for the Pirates. Following victories over Hightstown (in overtime) and Moorestown, WW-P South has moved to 4-4.

"We've gotten a lot better over the last two games," Schurtz said. "We had a tough schedule. I think the four teams we lost to are a combined 28-7. It was a challenging schedule for a group of inexperienced kids.

"It's been a slow transition. There are guys like Andy McKeever and Mike Iacouzze, who were role players last year, but now I am asking them to do a little more scoring. The whole team is improving."

There is still time for Ewing to turn it around. The key, however, will be less selfish play.

"We just have to pull together as a team and not as individuals," said Dearden who was a basketball and softball standout at then Tren ton State College. "We have to worry about the team concept and not the individual concept. We are trying to instill that as much as possible. We don't have one individual that is better than the rest. We are only going to win as a team."

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