Curie is good enough to win a state championship.
I wasn’t ready to say that last week, not until Tuesday night’s beautiful display of team basketball by a group whose talent was never in question.
Curie did already beat Simeon once, after all, and given that it was in the semifinals of the Pontiac Holiday tournament, it meant plenty.
The 80-78 overtime victory would perhaps give the Condors a little extra confidence this weekend if both take care of business in the semifinals, but I don’t think it does us much good in forecasting what will go down in the rematch.
It’s not so much that it was decided by a miracle Devin Gage shot as it was the decision the referees made at some point to call everything, and I mean everything, a foul.
There were 18 foul shots by Evan Gilyard alone. The Wolverines shot a total of 41.
If the score, stakes and extra period make it sound like a great game, well, it was anything but. Both sides told me it was a joke.
The game is called tighter at state than in the Public League, but that won’t happen again.
The rematch, it says here, will.
Rockford Auburn plays full-court defense, Curie essentially has three really quick point guards in Devin Gage, Elijah Joiner and Allante Pickens, and the Condors may just run away with the first 4A semifinal unless Auburn has a backup plan at the ready.
In the nightcap, Benet acknowledges it will have to be at its very best to have any chance against Simeon. Thing is, Simeon has been on top of its game for an extended stretch now.
You can almost count on Benet coming up with something defensively to at least slow the Wolverine attack down. I see a 32-minute game and a 59-52 Simeon victory.
That leaves us with Simeon and Curie, two of the three teams to occupy to the top spot in the Tribune Top 20 this season.
With a victory over Thon Maker’s team and the Pontiac title, you could argue that Curie’s resume is just as impressive as Simeon. I wouldn’t, but you could.
Point is, Curie is certainly capable of beating Simeon. Gage gets most of the press (is that still a term?), but Nolley II, Joiner, Pickens and Terry Smith Jr. will become well-known next season when the Condors are No. 1.
They will not, however, be defending state champions. Curie is more reliant on the 3-ball than Simeon, and long-range shooting at Carver Arena is often a problem, especially for first-timers.
More Top Picks What Is Irlen Syndrome And How Is It Different From Dyslexia
As for Class 3A, I’ll take Belleville Althoff.
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.