Furtick out as Fitch boys' basketball coach
Groton — Fitch High School athletic director Marc Romano confirmed Friday that Alick Furtick is no longer the school's boys' basketball coach.
Romano told the Fitch players Furtick resigned Friday afternoon, an action Furtick denied.
"I can say, emphatically, that I did not quit," Furtick said in a telephone conversation. "I was fired."
Either way, assistant coach Kalvin Bunkley will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the year.
Both parties agreed Furtick's ousting ultimately stemmed from an incident in the second half of Fitch's 76-24 win over Woodstock Academy on Thursday night. Romano walked to the Fitch bench in the second half, questioning why senior Eddie Volkerts, Fitch's leading scorer, was still in the game, while the Falcons had a lead near 50 points.
After Romano and Furtick exchanged words, Furtick left the bench and went to the locker room before the game ended.
"I told Mr. Romano (in the locker room after the game) that if he was going to critique my management style, since he doesn't do it to any other coaches here, that I can't coach here anymore," Furtick said. "He said, 'give me your keys.'"
Furtick said, "I admit that I said some things I'm not proud of. But I had hoped we'd have a chance to talk (Friday) and work it out. It didn't happen."
Romano had no further comment.
Furtick denied that score management was an issue in Thursday's game.
"I wasn't running up the score," Furtick said. "Eddie was still in the game because he deserved to be in there. I remember being at Woodstock a few years ago down 38 in the fourth quarter and there's (Woodstock graduate) Chris Lowry throwing no-look passes.
"Personally," Furtick said, "I believe that because Eddie is a minority and was still smiling and out there having fun, then all of sudden, it became a bigger deal."
Volkerts, who has a scholarship offer from Casper Community College in Wyoming, finished with 47 points and 11 rebounds.
The Falcons are 10-6 this season.
Furtick was in his third season coaching at his alma mater.
m.dimauro@theday.com
Twitter: @BCgenius
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