Condors still rule roost in Red-Central

Curie's Asante Smiter tries to move around a Hyde Park defender.
(Patrick Gleason/For the Sun-Times News Group)

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Hyde Park was supposed to present a serious challenge to Curie’s nine-year dominance in the Red-Central this season.

But in the lone conference matchup between the rivals this season, the Condors prevailed 60-58 over No. 11 Hyde Park Friday at home.

Jeremy Price broke down the Thunderbirds defense, drove through the lane and pulled up for a baby jumper from about six feet as the buzzer sounded.

The Condors had called timeout and set up a play for 6-5 swingman Wayne Blackshear.

“Give Jeremy a lot of credit," Curie coach Mike Oliver said. "He broke the defense down, read the play and saw they had Blackshear doubled. He was our second option and he made a great play.”

Curie (10-5, 4-0) built a lead of 13 points in the first half and held a 31-21 halftime edge.

But the Thunderbirds (12-3, 3-1) ran off 10 straight points at the beginning of the third quarter, tying the score at 31 on a basket by Fabyon Harris.

Jason Ford put Curie up 58-55 on a basket with 28 seconds remaining.

Malcolm Griffin's three-point shot from the top of the key allowed the Thunderbirds to tie the score with 12.8 seconds. But Price iced it for Curie as time expired.

“We knew it would be a game of runs and spurts,” Oliver said. “But I really like the way we performed down the stretch.”

“We have to learn how to close out big games,” Hyde Park coach Donnie Kirksey said.

“You can‘t dig yourself in a hole and think you can always fight your way out. Sometimes you have to come out strong in the beginning.”

Ford led the Condors with 18 points, while Blackshear had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Price finished with eight points.