(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: STANDING TALL: Stuart Country Day basketball player Sarah Schulte looks to pass the ball in a game last season. Junior center Schulte’s emergence as an inside force this season has helped Stuart get off to a 4-1 start. The Tartans will look to keep on the winning track when they host Princeton High on January 7, play at Princeton Day School on January 8, host Nottingham on January 10, and then play at Rutgers Prep on January 13.

Stuart Basketball Showing Commitment Getting Out of the Gate With 4-1 Record

Bill Alden

Although the Stuart Country Day basketball team went into the holiday break by falling at Gill St. Bernard’s to suffer its first loss of the season, Tartan head coach Tony Bowman liked the way his players reacted to the setback.

“The girls were saying that’s a team we can beat,” said Bowman whose team fell 75-62 to Gill to move to 4-1 on the season. “We just need to do a few things better.”

The Tartans did some good things after getting into early foul trouble and digging themselves a 37-18 hole at halftime.

“We got in foul trouble and we couldn’t be as aggressive as we wanted to be,” said Bowman.

“The second half was very positive; I was really pleased. Looking at the game in the second half, you couldn’t tell who was winning. I think we learned some lessons, an early season loss let’s you see what your weaknesses are.”

An emerging strength for Stuart has been junior center Sarah Schulte, who scored 13 points in the loss to Gill.

“Schulte has really improved; I would say she is 40 or 50 percent better than last year,” asserted Bowman.

“She is averaging one or two blocks a game and has had two games with double figures in scoring and rebounds. She was just finding her way in her first two years. Now she is really playing basketball; she is much more aggressive to the ball. She is giving the inside presence that we need.”

Junior guard Diamond Lewis gives Stuart a dynamic presence at point guard. “Diamond been averaging about 20 points a game and she is playing good defense,” added Bowman. “She is a leader on the court.”

Bowman is looking for more leadership from talented sophomores Amber Bowman and Jasmine Smarr.

“Amber’s first game was big; the next two weren’t so good,” said Bowman in assessing his daughter’s play.

“We are looking to make her more consistent. Smarr has not been as consistent as we want. We need her to be more confident in our offense.”

With his team bringing a 4-1 record into 2009, Bowman is confident that good things are on the horizon.

“I’m ecstatic; I am very happy with the way things are going,” said Bowman.

“The girls have a deeper commitment and have been playing very well. We can’t say we are inexperienced; Sarah and Diamond are juniors and Amber and Jasmine are six games into their sophomore year. We are farther along at this point this year than we were last year. We need to play hard and let the jitters go.”

Stuart just needs to focus on the basics as it returns from the holiday break with a busy week that will see the Tartans host Princeton High on January 7, play at Princeton Day School on January 8, host Nottingham on January 10, and then play at Rutgers Prep on January 13.

“I am looking for better defense; we want to hold teams under 45 points,” said Bowman. “I want us to run our offense in its entirety. This should be a very interesting week.”

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