Lenape halts South boys season in semifinals
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
ATLANTIC CITY — The West Windsor-Plainsboro South boys basketball team got its usual solid on defense in Wednesday’s state Group IV semifinal against Lenape.
Unfortunately for the Pirates, they ran into a team that was just as tough at the defensive end.
”We knew it was two excellent defensive teams and one of the things I wrote on the board before the game was the first team to 40 wins,” said South coach Bob Schurtz, whose team dropped a 41-34 decision Wednesday at Atlantic City High. “With 12.3 seconds to go they made a foul shot to get to 40. I turned to my assistants and said I hate being so prophetic.”
Lenape led, 19-14, at halftime when the Pirates came out and scored nine straight points to grab a 23-19 lead. Austin Witter opened the half with a basket and Dan Balevski added two more before Jack Dennehy capped the run with a three-point basket.
But Lenape battled back and by the end of the third quarter the Pirates lead was down to 25-24.
”I’m proud of our effort,” Schurtz said. “I think we did a great job in the third quarter getting the lead back. Then they made a couple shots and we got out of our rhythm.”
Lenape opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run and by the time Dennehy hit another three-point shot, the Pirates were in a 31-28 hole. Another 6-0 run by Lenape put them up 37-28, which was too big of a hole for the Pirates to dig out of.
”The big picture, it was a tremendous year,” Schurtz said. “Even today, for the kids to come out and battle like this defensively, it made it hard on them, too. They hit some big shots, so you have to give them credit.”
Balevski led the Pirates with 14 points, while junior Jack Dennehy added 11. Senior Witter added eight points, while senior starters Dan Block and Chris Johnson also played their last games as Pirates.
”They came in my first year as freshmen and you could see the potential,” Schurtz said of his seniors. “To see it develop and grow, not only individually but as a unit, was special. You have four seniors on the court who just give you their heart and soul every game. They just lay it out on the floor. It’s a credit to them and I could not be more proud as a coach to make this run with this group.
”It’s no discredit to the guys we have coming off the bench. I think we have some good young talent. But those seniors have earned ever minute I can give them on the court.”
The run came to an end on Wednesday, but not without the kind of defensive effort that helped the Pirates finish 24-4 this season.

