#8 Lincoln Park (Chicago) pulls off a miracle win over #23 Curie (Chicago) in the Lions Den!!!!! Utter chaos!!!!

First, Lincoln Park comes back from a 7 point deficit with 35 seconds left in the game to win. Here we go:

#8 Lincoln Park (Chicago) 72 #23 Curie 70:

Lets state the obvious. This gym is possibly the hardest gym to play in the Chicago Public League. For both teams. People sitting in the stands have their feet on the floor. So little room to dribble, easy to be trapped, and the wall is right by the end line. Gym is also hot. The officials and there we three of them in my opinion had a crazy night. I counted about 9 times they huddled up for different issues. The game did not end till after 9:30 pm. The late games happened in other places, but that issue is for another day. I talked to Lincoln Park Head Coach Josh Anderson after the game. He huddled with the officials many times, some with security and the athletic director listening in. His issue was no technical fouls being called on the Curie bench. Multiple times the head coach AND assistants were on the floor standing up. He felt there should have been a technical foul called because of this. By rule only the head coach should be standing up during the game. So Coach Anderson was correct by rule. There we also timing issues with the clock. Last 17 seconds of the game took 20 minutes to play. Onto the game.

Lincoln Park owned the first quarter. Looked like a blowout for the Lions early. They led 17-11 after the first quarter as junior Ahmad Lee pushed the tempo. Curie owned the second quarter as they started hitting threes. Senior Brad Johnson hit 2 threes, junior Michael Oliver Jr hit one, and junior Saquan Cummings hit two in the quarter. Curie outscored Lincoln Park 27-17 in the quarter to lead 34-28 at the half. Lee had some foul trouble as it was thought he had 3 fouls at the half. Turns out he had only 2. Second half starts and back and forth we go. Lincoln Park owned that quarter as they started attacking the basket and causing turnovers. Lincoln Park outscored Curie 18-9 in the quarter to lead 46-43. Fourth quarter Curie owned it till the last 35 seconds of the game. They led 69-62 with 35 seconds left in the game. They would hit 1 of 6 from the line the rest of the game. Ahmad Lee and Kaydin Williams had fouled out for Lincoln Park. DeJeon Jackson and a couple of other Curie players had fouled out. Then junior Jaylen Dickerson hits a three and scores a driving basket to make it 70-67. Then the game stopped.

A timing issue with the clock and one ref stopped the game. At the same time another ref blew the whistle of a foul. Lots of confusion as both coaches were screaming at the officials, and they huddled for about 5 minutes while the players were waiting at the line. One official had a long discussion with Coach Anderson which was about the Curie assistants being out of the box. This was with 8.2 seconds left. Finally free throws get shot. Dickerson makes the first, misses the second, but junior Larry Harris gets the rebound and is fouled. 70-68 Curie. Harris makes the first, misses the second, but Dickerson gets the offensive rebound and is fouled. 70-69 Curie 5.4 seconds left. Dickerson makes the first, misses the second but Harris tips the ball in. 72-70 Lincoln Park. Fans and players rush the court but Curie had called a timeout. 2.8 seconds left. Curie ball. Then ANOTHER officials huddle. Then the ball mysteriously got lost. They finally found one. Official gives the ball to Curie player then stops the game again. Curie gets the ball inbounds but does not get a shot off. Ball game.

Just another wild day in a Chicago Public League Boys Basketball game in the Lions Den on the North Side. Lincoln Park goes to 7-0, 2-0 in Red Shield. Curie drops to 3-1, 1-1 in Red Shield. Curie played 11 players in the game.

Scoring leaders:

Curie:

Senior Brad Johnson, Jr 16 (3/3 from three)

Junior Kendall Holiday 10

Senior Rashaad Wilson, Jahlil Jackson, junior Saquan Commings 8

Lincoln Park:

Junior Kaydin Williams 13 (3/6 from three)

Junior Ahmad Lee 13 add 6 rebounds 6 assists 3 steals and 3 blocks

Junior Larry Harris 12 add 8 rebounds (game winning tip in)

Junior Jaylen Dickerson 11