Curie wins first city championship over Whitney Young

Arguably the best high school basketball game of the season, Chicago’s city title game between Curie Metro and Whitney Young was filled with suspense.

Both teams play excellent all season. Curie finished with a 24-1 record, earning the top rank in Illinois and 3^rd in the DigitalSports National Basketball Rankings. Acquiring a 19-6 record, Whitney Young ranked 2^nd in the state and 12^th on the national scale.

Curie jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter. The Condors, behind the 15-point quarter by Joseph Stamps, surged to a 20-12 advantage. In the second quarter, scoring slowed down taking the game into the half at 28-22, Curie still leading.

Both teams started the third quarter evenly, Curie holding their lead but unable to break away from the Dolphins. Then in the last few minutes, Whitney Young found some rhythm, tying the game at 38 to enter the final quarter.

Like the third, both teams went point-for-point early in the fourth until Curie broke out to a six-point lead with less than a minute to go when Stamps hit two free-throws to bring the game to 53-47. The pressure did not faze Rodney Herenton Jr. as the sophomore came down to sink a three-pointer, cutting Curie’s lead in half. Then, following four missed free-throws from Curie, Miles Reynolds hit another Whitney Young three to tie the game at 53, sending it to overtime.

Putting everything they had on the line, neither team allowed each other to break away, sending the game to four overtimes. With two minutes to go and the game tied at 64, Joseph Stamps, leading all players with a game-high 26 points, fouled out. Miles Reynolds hit the two foul shots, giving Whitney Young a two- point lead late in the fourth overtime.

Even though he spent most of the game on the bench, Kamar Marshall knew that he would be going in if Stamps fouled out and made sure he was ready. After Curie’s Kansas commit, Cliff Alexander, tied the game with two free-throws, Marshall got the ball with only seconds to go. Without hesitating, the senior guard pulled up for a three, sinking it with 0.9 seconds left on the clock, winning the game for Curie in dramatic fashion.

Now with its first-ever city championship, Curie enters as the favorites to with the Class 4A state championship, another title that would be a first for the Condors. Whitney Young, along with other Illinois powerhouses Stevenson and Marian Catholic, ranked nationally at 30^th and 74^th, respectively, will get another shot to prove themselves over their state rival. With teams at their level entering the competition, games are sure to be thrilling as some of the nation’s best go head-to-head.

Key Players

Joseph Stamps- 26 points

Cliff Alexander- 20 points, 14 rebounds