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Boys Basketball: Curie stymies Garrett, Morgan Park
Updated: February 12, 2012 9:14PM
Mike Oliver gave his No. 3 Curie team the formula that they executed successfully in order to get a 65-35 victory over Morgan Park in the Public League quarterfinal Sunday at Chicago State University.
The plan was to stop everyone else and make Billy Garrett work hard for everything he got. Garrett, who averages 26 points per game, was limited to 16 hard earned points, constantly having to deal with double and triple teams.
By halftime the Condors held a 33-21 lead, and then blew it open in the third quarter as they outscored the Mustangs 22-7 to forge ahead 55-28 going into the fourth quarter.
Oliver tried to rest his starters and give the reserves some extended playing time, but took no chances and put the starters back in midway in the fourth quarter when the lead was cut to 18.
“Our pressure defense caused them some problems,’’ Oliver said. ‘‘We knew Billy was going to get his. Whenever you have a player of his caliber you have to try to contain him as best you can.”
Devin Foster led all scorers with 24 points, Cliff Alexander had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Joseph Stamps added nine points for Curie (23-1).
“We know they are good, but so are we,’’ Foster said. ‘‘We have been together a long time and our coaches always have us ready.”
Garrett was the lone Morgan Park player in double figures and Dominique Lee had the next highest with six points for the Mustangs (13-8).
“We didn’t make any shots,’’ Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said. ‘‘We got the shots that we wanted and they didn’t fall. You have to capitalize on your opportunity against a good team like Curie.”
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