Curie’s unheralded sharpshooter Damari Nixon finds his niche

SHARE Curie’s unheralded sharpshooter Damari Nixon finds his niche
curievsimeon_15_obt_CST123018.jpg

Curie’s Damari Nixon (2) dodges Simeon’s Jaylen Granger (24) in a game in December. Worsom Robinson/For Sun-Times

Damari Nixon was the exception.

Curie coach Mike Oliver was not happy with his team’s effort in their Tuesday win over Corliss, ripping them for playing with a lackadaisical attitude. Nixon, however, was singled out. The senior shooting guard, a Fenwick transfer, had played an efficient, thorough game all night long, and Oliver had noticed.

“He looked like the only one who came to play basketball like he’s got something to prove,” Oliver said. “But that’s what he’s been doing all year.”

Nixon hit two three-pointers in the first quarter as Curie leapt to a big early lead, drained two more right after halftime to maintain the momentum and swished a fifth in the final quarter to help the Condors hold on. Nixon finished 6-of-12 from the floor — 5-of-10 from deep — for 17 points.

“That’s his job: He makes wide-open shots for us (and) he defends,” Oliver said. “He’s just consistent.”

Curie’s Damari Nixon (2) dives on the floor. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

Curie’s Damari Nixon (2) dives on the floor. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

Of course, Nixon was still just Curie’s third-leading scorer, as one would expect on a team featuring Kansas State commit DaJaun Gordon (25 points Tuesday) and likely D1-bound junior Ramean Hinton (18 points).

In some ways, the presence of Gordon and Hinton distracts viewers away from Nixon, who is smaller, less athletic and less well rounded, even though he touts the kind of single elite skill that could make him an arguably more useful role player at the college level.

But playing alongside Gordon and Hinton has also distracted defenses away from Nixon — the nephew of 1990s Farragut great Ronnie Fields — and given him a platform to really showcase his single elite skill. He poured in six three-pointers and 23 points in a huge December win over now-No. 4 Morgan Park, plus chipped in 15 points in a November win over East St. Louis, 14 points in a December win over Simeon and 10 points in Curie’s victory against No. 2 Bogan earlier this month.

“Since they’re focusing on those guys, I have an opportunity to make shots and make plays for others,” Nixon said. “It’s really been comfortable, they’ve accepted me, and coach Mike just wants me to shoot the ball.”

Of course, Nixon would probably contest the claim that he has only one elite skill, and he made a convincing case for his subtle versatility against Corliss.

He was far from the biggest player on the court, yet he still made a noticeable impact guarding and rebounding through work ethic alone, bringing down seven rebounds. And on the offensive end, when the visiting Trojans began monitoring him closer on the perimeter as the game progressed, Nixon smartly found teammates inside rather than jacking up contested shots. He tallied five assists in the process.

“I would describe my game as a three-point shooting guy who can do everything,” he said afterward. “(If) they take the three-pointer away, I can get to the basket or shoot a pull-up jump shot, and I like to defend, too.”

Curie’s Damari Nixon (2) reaches to block Corliss’s Mark Lewis Jr. (4) during a 80-69 win in Chicago, Tuesday January 22, 2019. | Kevin Tanaka/For the Sun Times

Curie’s Damari Nixon (2) reaches to block Corliss’s Mark Lewis Jr. (4) during a 80-69 win in Chicago, Tuesday January 22, 2019. | Kevin Tanaka/For the Sun Times

Nixon’s unexpectedly impressive senior campaign has led to a small surge of Division I recruitment. Although he doesn’t yet have an offer, he thinks it’s “very likely” he’ll get at least one from the group of schools showing interest: Loyola, Valparaiso, Kent State, Bradley and Wright State.

The stretch run of the season comes first, though, with Curie expected to enter the city playoffs next week ranked No. 1. Playoff opponents will presumably key on Gordon and Hinton even more than the Condors has seen thus far.

That, in turn, will open the door for Nixon to potentially break through into the spotlight at the tail end of his high school career.

“This is his 23rd game now, and he’s adapted to his role,” Oliver said. “He goes to the open spot, and makes the wide-open shot.”

The Latest
Senators tasked with clearing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s appointments are raising concerns over his renomination of Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau after the Sun-Times last year reported an executive assistant accounted for more than $240,000 in billings.
White Sox fans from all over will flock to Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday for the team’s home opener against the Tigers.
Fans, some in costume, tailgate in the parking lots of Guaranteed Rate Field hours before the White Sox and Detroit Tigers kick off the 2024 seasons Thursday afternoon. Some weigh in on the proposed South Loop stadium.
Two weeks after the migrant eviction policy went into effect in Chicago, City Council members said not enough information on migrants exiting the shelter system has been provided.