Joe Zicaro thought he had called it a career some 10 years ago when he finished coaching in the Monroe Recreational Softball program and as a high school girls basketball coach in Somerset County.

But then he received a phone call.

"Immaculate Conception's seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball team needed a coach," Zicaro said Sunday, "and I was asked if I wanted to take over the team. I decided to get involved. So here I am, back on the coaching sidelines."

Zicaro's competitive juices are evident as he has guided the Spotswood based team which competes against other seventh- and eighth- grade teams throughout Middlesex County to a mark that's just two wins shy of the .500 at 6-8. His hope is that Immaculate is able to finish at .500 or above which would be a dramatic turnaround for a program which has experienced nothing but losing for many years.

"Our goal is to finish .500 and that's something which is reachable," Zicaro said. "Whether we realize that goal may depend on how we finish in our own tournament which will be Feb. 17-28 at the school gym."

The Valentine's Day tournament, which will feature an elimination bracket of eight teams will feature the same area teams that Immaculate Conception plays in league competition. In addition, there will be brackets for third and fourth grades, and fifth- and sixth- grade teams.

In addition to the tournament, Immaculate has played against neighboring teams including rival Spotswood.

"We've met them twice and have only lost by close margins," Zicaro said. "Our record could actually be better if we had been able to win a couple of those close games."

Immaculate starts a lineup which is composed primarily from students who reside in Monroe Township. The starters include eighth-graders Ryan Stolte, a 5-foot-9 power forward, Michael Harrigan, a 5-foot- 2 point guard, Chris Sadowsky, 5-foot-10, and Spencer Hilton, a 5-foot-11, forward. Mike Allen, a 5-foot-5 guard, is the only starter from Spotswood.

Backing up the starters in the rotation are six others who provide Zicaro with important depth, which is needed in the fastpaced league games. Coming off the bench are eighth-graders Jay Kakufka, 5-foot-5, Dereck Platt, 5-foot-8, Matt Van Doren, 5- foot-4, Michael Hilliard, 5-foot-9, and Jerry Bogue, 5-foot-2. Tyler Webb, 5-foot, is the only seventh-grader.

"Besides the tournament," said Zicaro, "we have a couple of rivalry games coming up, including one this Friday with Cranbury. The kids have been playing well together and to get to the .500 level would be a mark of improvement, something we can build on."