Highlands’ Witucki to miss time with shoulder surgery

HARRISON: He might be down, but he's not out.

Brad Witucki, a three-year point guard starter for the Highlands Goldens Rams basketball team, will undergo major shoulder surgery next Friday to repair a damaged rotator cuff and other muscle impairment.

Witucki is considered one of the best in the WPIAL and his loss -even for part of the season - would be a major setback for the Highlands basketball program.

The operation, to be performed at Alle-Kiski Medical Center, will sideline Witucki for at least five months.

'The doctors told me that if everything goes well, I could be ready to play maybe the last of December or early January,' he said.

The right shoulder has been a problem for the past three to four years, but everytime it would pop out of joint, somebody would pop it back in, Witucki said.

'Lately, it started to wake me up while I was sleeping, and I decided it was time to get it checked out,' he said.

Highlands coach Rich Falter, who recently had his contract extended for another three years, predicted Witucki would be a factor in league games this season.

'It's just bad luck, but the kid's a fighter and he has such great work habits, I predict he will be ready to go when league play begins in December,' Falter said.

Witucki has had two other injuries, both occurring in 1998. He broke his leg in a junior varsity

football game and then broke his right wrist during basketball practice. The wrist injury sidelined him in the middle of the season.

Falter said he doesn't have a replacement for Witucki at this time.

'I really haven't talked to anybody about it,' Falter said. 'I just found out. But you know, we'll soon find out when practice begins.'

Highlands is expected to be one of the top teams in the Valley with four starters returning.

Highlands will be led by senior power foward Matt Bonislawski, the top scorer in the Alle-Kiski Valley, and 6-foot-7 center Adam Kostewicz, who is recovering from knee surgery.

Possible replacements for Witucki include Chic Murdock, 6-foot-3 Greg Voytko, Chad Meanor or Ryan Thomas.

Witucki's strengths included ball handling and passing to the big men inside, plus his driving in the lane. He averaged 12 points per game last season and was an 85-percent foul shooter.

Falter said Witucki's desire to play is his greatest asset.

'He'll do anything to play and push himself to the limit,' Falter said. 'He will not be gone for the year, I know it. His work habits are his driving force.

'He may be on the floor for the third time, and the count is up to nine, but you can bet it will never reach 10,' the coach said.

'There is no knockout punch that will flatten him.'