Dec. 11--Simeon's gym was packed to capacity and buzzing with energy Thursday, like it is every time Morgan Park takes the ride down Vincennes Ave. to renew the city's most intense rivalry.
It will undoubtedly be that way again Friday, only the side basket that literally stood in the way of Thursday afternoon's meeting between No. 1 Simeon and No. 2 Morgan Park will be back near the ceiling where it belongs.
The basket was lowered for gym class earlier in the day, Simeon coach Robert Smith said, and stuck that way. Smith said the building engineer will fix it on Friday.
Fans, mostly students, left in an orderly fashion. Their tickets will be good for Friday's 5 p.m. tip.
"Kids always want to play right now," Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said. "Like I told them, things happen, you've got to refocus and be ready for the next day. Both teams look forward to playing each other. That's why kids come to Morgan Park and Simeon. It is a great rivalry, two programs going at each other. I told Rob (Smith) it is the hottest ticket in the country."
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
