By Steve Bigham

Ten months ago, the Newtown High School boys’ basketball program was in shambles. Four key players had just been declared academically ineligible, casting a dark shadow over what had been a promising season.

But the disappointment of a year ago seemed so distant Monday night as the 1999-2000 hoop team went through its workout. The grades are up and so is the attitude and that had second-year coach John Quinn whistling Dixie.

“I’m very optimistic after the first week. We’ve got a good mix of sophomores, juniors and seniors,” said Quinn. “The guys are very focused, extremely athletic, and there have been a few pleasant surprises.”

And almost everyone is back from last year’s 8-11 squad, including 6-5 center Courtney Steele, who was one of the four players forced to sit out the last third of the season due to low grades.

“What happened last year shouldn’t have, but we’re a better team for it,” Steele said this week. “There’s a different mentality this year – better attitudes.”

Steele has already shown he has the talent, averaging 16 points and nine rebounds per game a year ago. Now he wants to show he can be a winner. His coach believes he can be a first team all league player.

“Courtney is in great shape and he’s shown great leadership. He can be one of the best two or three players in the league this year. I really believe that,” Quinn said.

Senior Jason Godoy is also back after averaging 13 points per game a year ago. Godoy was forced to carry a lot of weight on his shoulders late in the season and the experience has made him stronger. At 6-2, Godoy can mix it up inside, but it’s his outside jumper that will give opponents fits. Godoy, a co-captain, worked extremely hard in the off season and believes this year’s team has a chance to make history.

“We all learned a lot last year. Now is the time. If we’re going to ever make something happen, this is the year,” he said, predicting, at the least, a berth in the SWC playoffs.

Quinn is in agreement. The coach’s roster is laden with talent from top to bottom. Take 6-1 junior John Fiscella, who may be the team’s best pure basketball player. With a sweet jumper and nice baseline move, Fiscella should be a double-digit scorer after averaging 11 per game last year.

“Both John and Jason are rock solid. They’re both a given,” Quinn said. “If Courtney reaches his full potential he can take us where we want to go.”

And that’s to the league finals, a place Newtown has not been since 1996 when former star Andrew Gellert, now a starter at Harvard University, was a sophomore.

Returning from a fine junior season is 6-0 senior co-captain Rich Engel, a solid defender who showed he could score, too. Engel injured himself last month during Newtown’s state soccer semifinal against Hand of Madison. The partial tear of his posterior ligament behind the kneecap has left him at less than 100 percent, but he expects to be ready for the season opener December 16. Once healthy, Engel will likely start at the shooting guard position and will serve as the glue that keeps this talented squad together.

If Newtown was missing one piece to the puzzle it was a guy like 5-10 senior guard Bret McEvoy, an all-state soccer player, who arrived at tryouts last week after taking his junior season off.

“What a pleasant surprise Bret has been,” Quinn said. “He is just an outstanding athlete. He’s an excellent defender and a good ball handler too.”

McEvoy, a lefty, will likely share the point guard duties with junior Andrew Smith, who saw some action at the varsity level last year.

The other returning senior is 6-4 center Glen Stiewing, who is coming off a serious ankle injury, which he sustained during a car accident in late summer.

“I wanted Glen on this team as a senior because he’s got more heart than anybody,” Quinn said.

Newtown’s bench looks solid and the first guy off it could be 6-2 sophomore Josh Dittmar, who was a star on last year’s junior varsity squad. At 6-1, the left-handed Dittmar has a nasty first step to the hole, can hit the outside jumper and plays solid defense.

Jeff Wolcott, a 6-2 junior, is one of the team’s most versatile players. He can play all four positions, according to Quinn. Wolcott showed a glimpse of the future during last year’s state tournament game at Stratford, scoring nine points on a number of strong moves to the basket.

Also expected to see major minutes is 6-1 sophomore Ryan Walker, who, like Dittmar, saw plenty of action on the JV team a year ago. A smart player, left-handed Walker will be a player to watch over the next three seasons.

Another sophomore is 6-4 lefty John Wesley, who will provide much-needed size inside. And Quinn calls 6-0 junior Grant Putnam his most diverse player. A hard worker, Grant has a strong desire to play defense, which will always win the heart of a coach.

This is an athletic team with brains and that allows Quinn to be creative in his coaching style. Look for these thoroughbreds to run and press.

After three preseason scrimmages, Newtown opens up December 16 at Warren Harding High in Bridgeport.

“We’ll be tested early,” said Quinn, who schedule a handful of tough non-league games early on. He hopes the move will pay off in the long run.