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Wake-Up Call: USF's Fitzpatrick impresses new coach

Fitzpatrick is pushing himself like never before, working to take advantage of his opportunity at USF.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 21, 2009

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

University of South Florida men's basketball coach Stan Heath, in New York today for Big East Conference Media Day, said freshman Toarlyn Fitzpatrick (King) has been his most impressive newcomer so far.

Fitzpatrick, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward, is pushing himself like never before, working to take advantage of his opportunity at USF.

It's an opportunity he never expected.

Then again, there were plenty of things about last season Fitzpatrick never expected.

Back in May, Fitzpatrick attended the Tampa Tribune's annual Parade of Athletes banquet with a just-happy-to-be-here attitude. Hillsborough County's player of the year award was at stake, but Fitzpatrick had low expectations. After all, Sickles High School center John Henson, a 6-foot-10 Parade All-American bound for national-champion North Carolina, was the competition.

Fitzpatrick won.

His jaw-dropping expression was an indication of his surprise.

"I was pretty nervous,'' Fitzpatrick said. "It had to be tough picking that award. I just know I'm going to cherish that one. It kind of capped off what was a really interesting year.''

Interesting year?

That's an understatement.

Fitzpatrick passed the 2,000-point career mark.

He led his team in four major statistical categories – points (14.0), rebounds (11.3), blocked shots (4.3) and assists (3.0).

He helped King to the first state tournament appearance in school history.

Then after all that was completed, he was released from his scholarship commitment at Georgia Southern University (head coach Jeff Price was fired), allowing him to sign with USF.

From the Southern Conference to the Big East.

From a sleepy college town to life in the big city, essentially just around the corner from his old high-school campus.

Quite a leap.

"It was all a blessing disguise,'' Fitzpatrick said.

Before his senior season at King, Fitzpatrick accepted Georgia Southern's scholarship offer. He said he wanted to grab something, just in case there was an injury.

But Fitzpatrick improved dramatically. The coaching change gave him an out. USF always had been his dream school.

"Now I get to play against the best players in the nation because we're in the Big East,'' Fitzpatrick said. "My stock went way up, but sometimes it still feels like I'm dreaming. I think the (college) coaches had been watching me and said, 'This kid has really improved and deserves a shot to make it in the big time. Now it's all up to me.''

Since the program's inception, USF has emphasized recruiting players from the Tampa Bay area. Interestingly, Fitzpatrick is the first King player to sign with the Bulls.

"I don't think it's going to be any added pressure for him,'' King coach Sam Lanier said. "I think it will be more of a comforting feeling. He's got friends and family all around. He has already made a bit of a name for himself, so I'm sure that will add a little more interest for USF's program. I think both sides got a good deal here.''

Fitzpatrick wants to get stronger and quicker. He also knows, in order to fulfill his potential, that he must learn to play facing the basket, instead of constantly posting up.

That won't work in the Big East.

"Everybody is going to be my size or bigger,'' Fitzpatrick said. "I need to get better at handling the ball and working away from the basket. I need to get better at all of those things.''

Heath said he visualizes Fitzpatrick coming off the bench and contributing strongly as a freshman.

"It has been one great thing after the other,'' Fitzpatrick said. "When we went to the state tournament, that was something pretty thrilling, all by itself. Now it's like a whole new world has opened up for me.''

A whole new world, located just a few miles from his high school.

Henson update

And speaking of John Henson, he's off to a good start at North Carolina.

Henson had 10 points in UNC's scrimmage on Friday.

"His size and athleticism are things that are hard to describe,'' Tar Heels fifth-year senior Marcus Ginyard said. "He's a guy who can do some interesting things out there. We've got to let it play out and see what he does, but there's no question he can be a big help to the team.''

She's the Shrine Game ambassador

Leigh Dittman, 9, of Lutz has been named patient ambassador for the 85th annual East-West Shrine Game, which will be held on Jan. 23, 2010 at Orlando's Florida Citrus Bowl.

Dittman has been a patient at Shriner's Hospital for Children in Tampa since shortly after her birth. She was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta (commonly known as brittle-bone disease), which causes her bones to break easily. Her care and treatment has helped decrease the number of fractures, lessened her pain and increased her mobility.

Dittman, a fourth-grader at Lutz Elementary School, will participate in various Shrine Game events and also be present on the field for the game's coin toss.

D'Qwell Jackson out for the season

Cleveland Browns middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (Seminole), the team's leading tackler, is out for the season with a shoulder injury. He was injured during the second quarter of Sunday's 27-14 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jackson, the former University of Maryland player, led the NFL in tackles last season (188). He led the Browns in tackles in 2007 and was second as a rookie in 2006.

Kiffin still slamming Gators

Here's how Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin reacted to Alabama leapfrogging Florida for No. 1 in the Associated Press poll:

"Well, I think one poll got it right.''

Kiffin, whose Volunteers face Alabama on Saturday, was effusive in his praise for the Crimson Tide.

"If you watch football and pay attention, I don't think there's any doubt who the No. 1 team is,'' Kiffin said. "It was very evident when you look at the two teams playing Arkansas. Alabama has a great team, very well-coached, extremely talented, great special teams, great on offense, great on defense.

"I love the style they play with. I think they play extremely physical. They play in your face. They come downhill at you. That's what we're going to be someday. I like everything about what they do.''

News from the desert

Corey Brown (Plant), an Oakland Athletics' outfield prospect who played in Double-A last season, went 3-for-5 on Saturday for the Arizona Fall League's Phoenix Desert Dogs and has hit safely in all four of his games.

Peter King on the Bucs

Sports Illustrated's Peter King writes, "If I were a Bucs fan, I'd want to see the two kid quarterbacks, Josh Johnson and Josh Freeman, play about equal time in the final 10 weeks. That's the most important thing that can come from the rest of the season – seeing what you have at quarterback entering 2010.''

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to Rays right fielder Gabe Gross, who chose full-time baseball after a stint as starting quarterback at Auburn University. Today, Gross turns 30.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Tuesday's trivia question:

From 2003-05, Armwood High School's football program played in three consecutive Class 4A state-championship games. The opposing quarterbacks were Lake Gibson's Matt Grothe in 2003, Lake Gibson and Grothe again in 2004 and Ponte Vedra Beach Nease's Tim Tebow in 2005.

Wednesday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

USF's 1,000-point scoring list includes four players who graduated from a Tampa high school. Can you name all four?

Check for the answer in Thursday's Wake-Up Call.

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