After submitting a game-best 25 points and kicking out nine assists in Palm Beach State’s 90-68 home walloping of FSC-Jacksonville, an ardent fan approached crafty 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Malik Curry and told him simply, “have fun at the beach.”
That’s right. It was all smiles and sun-soaked South Florida festivities after Curry catalyzed the youth-laden team, helping them rip off their fourth consecutive win since a 78-68 loss at Polk State College a month ago.
Curry and a few teammates orchestrated a post-game trip to nearby West Palm Beach after erupting during a wild second half scoring spree.
Darrick Boyd (19 points) buried five second half 3-pointers in a sheer onslaught, catching the hot hand as Palm Beach awoke from a rather pedestrian first half.
Beyond Curry and Miles James (16 points, 5-for-9 FG, 3-6 3FG), PBS was off to a tepid start offensively.
They gained an early double digit lead which Jacksonville whittled down to six at the start of second half.
After fending off prolonged spurts of first half stagnancy and arriving with a more well rounded scoring display, PBS regained a sizable advantage and kept their foot on the opponent’s necks until the very finish.
Palm Beach State shot 16-of-35 (47 percent) from 3-point territory. While they were just 12-of-23 from the free throw line (52 percent), the fluid ball movement was prevalent with 22 team assists.
“Our big talk at halftime was about getting the rust off,” said Palm Beach State head coach Martin McCann, who earned his 100th career win on the afternoon.
“We hadn’t played in about three weeks. We had to explain to them, ‘hey, your back in the swing of things now. Let’s get us all on the same page, let’s pick up our energy level and our Xs and Os.”
The interior defensive play and thorough rim protection from 6-foot-10 Adong Makuoi (9 points, 10 boards, seven blocks), he of the 7-foot-4 wingspan, helped stymie Jacksonville while simultaneously sparking Palm Beach State on the other end of the floor. The high major caliber prospect out of Canada displayed an evolving offensive skill set.
“He hadn’t practiced much since coming back from break,”said McCann. “As an individual he was able to overcome some early rust in the first half.”
Boyd, the team’s lone transfer (from Teikyo Post in Connecticut) was able to spot up and hit 3-pointers in succession, finishing 6-for-10 from beyond the arc. The 6-foot-11 Marcus Hopkins, Makoui, and 6-foot-9 Georgia Tech-commit David Didenko all chimed in with vital buckets during the second half explosion.
FSC-Jacksonville was an entirely different team than the one they defeated, 78-59, back on December 8. They lost several pieces to disciplinary reasons and injury and were forced to play rather shorthanded.
The impact Curry has as a poised, communicative leader and the threat he poses were visible from the very start. His shooting stroke has been the most improved facet of his game, as he’s been a reliable 3-point threat throughout.
Outside shooting was initially pinpointed as his glaring weakness last season. He’s worked diligently to convert that area of deficiency into a strength, barricading himself in the gym this summer and getting shots off on the gun with consistency.
With his quickness and methodical driving style, he’s able dissect the nooks and crannies of defenses and manufacture points.
A willing and unselfish passer, Curry possesses the type of tool-set transferable to a high-powered 90+ PPG offense at the ensuing level of play.
Curry rattled off Arkansas State, SFA, Sam Houston State, Hawaii, and LaSalle as programs who are in most active pursuit of him. He said some programs are calling in late and he’ll ultimately make an educated decision most likely once the season is over.
As of right now, he’s wide open. Arkansas State, which boasts a major South Florida recruiting presence in head coach Mike Balado, appears to be investing the most effort on a day to day basis.
“He’s just our heart and soul in terms of leading us, keeping us organized and keeping us focused,” said McCann of Curry. We’re definitely a much different team when he comes out of the game, which isn’t very often.”
Jacksonville was paced by local product Marques Spann. The Lake Worth High product, who brings energy and a relentless motor, had 19 points and displayed a knack for getting to the rim. Also back in his Palm Beach County stomping grounds was Eddie Davis, who is averaging 13.2 PPG as a high-impact freshman.
McCann, who doesn’t turn 30 until April, downplayed his 100th win as a personal milestone. The young coach was able to shed the notion of it being any type of individual career accolade.
“I don’t think you want to look at just the coach,” said McCann, who spoke with a handful of former players both before and after the game.
“I’m blessed to have an unbelievable staff and administration here at Palm Beach State. We’ve been blessed to have a lot of great guys in Palm Beach State jerseys over the last five years.”
