By Joe Henricksen
Add another young, talented prospect to the Curie program. Dennis Hodges, who entered high school last year as
one of the more highly-regarded freshmen in the state when he began his career at Crane, has made another
move. After transferring from Crane to Hales Franciscan last winter, Hodges is now enrolled at Curie as of
Thursday, Nov. 8. The paperwork will be submitted to gain eligibility and, worse case scenario, would probably
have Hodges set to go in January — if not sooner.
Hodges’ starpower has fallen considerably since last year, mostly due to having not played at Crane or Hales while
he was a part of their respective programs. In what is considered a loaded Class of 2010, Hodges still ranks
among the top 20 or 25 players in the class. And the move to Curie, to play under coach Mike Oliver, might turn out
to be the perfect fit for him after being lost in the shuffle at both Crane and Hales for different reasons.
At Curie, Hodges will simply fill a role for the time being. But make no mistake, Curie has plans for Hodges making an
impact. The situation is perfect for a kid who had such high expectations placed on him at such a young age. He is
just one of several talented young players in the program, which includes freshman sensation Wayne Blackshear
and talented classmate Greg Travis. Oliver is also very high on what is a somewhat under-the-radar sophomore
group, headed by 6-4 Jeremy Price and 6-5 Damion Enochs. Hodges will have the opportunity to blend in with this
young group over the next three years, free of pressure. Throw in the fact Curie already has senior standout
Donovan Foster (Detroit commitment) and Hodges will have the chance to simply run the floor, use his body and
athleticism and be a factor in a freelance sort of way.
The star is shining bright on this southwest side school. With Oliver in place there is a certain continuity within the
program, a program that is brimming with talent and set to transform into a power. After averaging nearly 23 wins a
season — and winning no less than 21 games — over the past five years, Curie has been a consistent success.
There has been some solid showings in the city playoffs and a regional title in 2006. But now the pieces are in
place to go from a postseason afterthought to sustaining a top-tier program.
