PONTIAC, Ill.—Curie’s quarterfinal win against West Aurora was a track meet, a high-flying blazer of a high school basketball game. It was played above the rim and at a wild pace.
The Condors can win like that.
On Saturday in the semifinals against New Trier, it was a patient, slower-paced game played in the half-court.
Curie can also win like that.
“We have athletic guys that can play and score in so many different ways,” Condors coach Mike Oliver said. “We can play basketball any way you want. Will Gonzalez is a big part of that. People overlook him.”
Curie beat New Trier 52-47 and will face Benet in the championship game of the 92nd Pontiac Holiday Tournament at 9 p.m. on Saturday.
The Trevians (14-2) led by nine at halftime. Curie came out hot, hitting its first four three-point attempts. Junior Derrick Dowdell’s steal and dunk early in the fourth quarter put the Condors ahead by four and New Trier never got any closer.
UIC recruit Carlos Harris led Curie (13-1) with 22 points and four rebounds. He was 7 of 9 shooting.
“I made sure to step up when things were getting rough for us,” Harris said. “But really this is team basketball.”
Gonzalez and senior Christian Brockett each scored eight points for the Condors, who lost in the championship game in 2021 and won the consolation title last season.
“I’ve been here for three years and I just want to win a championship,” Harris said.
Sophomore Danny Houlihan led New Trier with 12 points off the bench and sophomore Christopher Kirkpatrick added seven points and five rebounds.
“In the second half we weren’t cutting hard and our wings weren’t getting open,” Trevians coach Scott Fricke said “I give Curie a lot of credit. They just never let us be comfortable. Their defense was different every time. You try to combat it but then it is different. They are a good team and we didn’t play our game in the second half.”
