Some good basketball news

[USF_Bill]

Curry scores 33 in win

By Rick Pedone News-Gazette Staff Writer

Rather than focusing on next week’s boys district basketball tournaments, Gateway, Poinciana and Osceola are instead spending this week concentrating on winning the Orange Belt Conference championship.

Poinciana, riding a 17-point fourth-quarter surge from McDonald’s All-American nominee Dante Curry, erased a 16-point Panther lead to win, 87-81, Wednesday at the Gateway gym in a game that had playoff intensity.

Curry, who scored 33, was almost flawless in the final period when he hit four consecutive free throws after a technical foul against Gateway’s own McDonald’s All-America nominee, Chris Baez, the game’s high scorer (36).

Down 76-75, Curry’s free throws put the Eagles up 79-76 with 2:40 to play and was part of a 32-15 Poinciana run.

Baez was unstoppable in the first half, when he scored 18 of Gateway’s first 23 points and had 25 at the half. Gateway was up 41-25 late in the second quarter before Curry and Mike Edwards scored nine points pull the Eagles within eight, 42-34 at the intermission.

Poinciana Coach Jay Lunce said he lambasted his players at halftime for playing poor defense.

“Our match-up zone, our bread and butter, wasn’t working. We were too slow on our shifts,†Lunce said.

The Eagles went to full-court man pressure for much of the second half, and the strategy worked.

Aggressive play from Alberto Damour (11), Antonio Freeman (9), Nachbi Lacossiere (4) and Paul Mitchell (7) sliced Gateway’s lead as the Panthers began forcing passes against Poinciana’s pressure.

“I think we were able to make them play a little faster than they wanted to. They like to play fast, but not as fast as we were making them play,†said Lunce.

Gateway Coach Bob Baker agreed.

“They’re an explosive team. They did the same thing against us when we beat them at their place earlier in the season.â€Â

Curry, who signed with USF, and Baez were among 1,500 players nationwide nominated for 24 positions on the McDonald’s All- American team. The roster will be announced later this month.

Poinciana, 15-8 and 7-1 in the OBC, played at Osceola Friday for a chance to clinch the conference championship. An Osceola win forces the Eagles to win at St. Cloud this afternoon at 3 for a three-way tie between Osceola, Gateway and Poinciana.

The district tournaments get underway Tuesday for 10 county teams.

[Guest Ari Hinkelberger]

Could be the best recruit we have had in years.

But this curry guy sounds like a stud.

Off-topic content deleted by Bulliever

[Omniscientbull]

Curry has been working this year on learning the PG position.  His fortay is a scoring guard but they've had him running point most of the thime this year to continue to develop his game.

[Guest rueben_horowitz]

Good news.

Anyone know how big he is??

[Velcro]

6'4... pretty good size for a PG, and not bad for a SG either.

[SkypointBull]

I just pray we stay healthy next year. Also look for less games before Jan. They are going to push more of the games back so we will have a full squad with the transfers.