Curry Quietly Steps to the Front and Center at Morningside High

A stone’s throw from Morningside High and just off Crenshaw Blvd, a faded green stucco-covered house has few distinguishing features from other homes on the narrow tree-lined street in Inglewood.

But the three-bedroom home has become a special place for Dwight Curry. He has lived at the house for the past 11 years with his grandmother.

Born to unwed teen-age parents who parted ways before his birth, Curry, 18, attended four elementary schools and moved six times before completing first grade. He was raised by an unemployed mother.

“I was basically homeless and always moving,” Curry, 18, said. “I needed a stable place so I could attend one school.”

He has settled in nicely at Morningside, where he is involved with student council and the school newspaper. He also helps as a volunteer in the principal’s office each day.

However, it hasn’t been as easy to find a niche on the Morningside basketball team.

The slender 6-foot-2, 165-pound Curry was the first player off the bench as a sophomore for Morningside, which reached the Southern Section Division III-A final. Last season, he was an Ocean League first-team selection as a part-time starter on the Monarchs’ State Division III championship team.

However, the focus has typically centered on his teammates.

Stais Boseman, the Southern Section Division III player of the year last season and a two-time Times’ South Bay player of the year, has signed a letter of intent to play at USC. Donminic Ellison and Corey Saffold have signed with Washington State and Oklahoma.

Curry, though, has emerged as the team’s leading scorer, averaging 19.8 points for the unbeaten Monarchs (5-0), who will play Inglewood in the first round of the Tournament of Champions on Tuesday.

“It’s been difficult because we’re in an atmosphere where there is so much hype on who did this and who has the big numbers,” Morningside Coach Carl Franklin said. “There’s so much that’s been constantly thrown at him.”

Curry’s play has attracted interest from several Division I universities, including Cal State Fullerton, San Diego State, Arizona State and Florida State.

“He’s a raw talent, but the three of us (who have received scholarships) have overshadowed him,” Boseman said. “It’s like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen (of the Chicago Bulls). No really notices the dirty work.”

Boseman, however, has been well aware of Curry’s abilities.

Curry attended Monroe junior high while Boseman and Ellison went to rival Warren Lane. Monroe defeated Warren Lane to win the Inglewood city championship in Curry’s seventh grade year, but Boseman and Ellison prevailed as eighth-graders.

“We had a some real battles against each other, I was glad he was going to the same high school,” Boseman said.

Boseman had little difficulty earning a starting role as a sophomore at Morningside. But while Boseman was helping the football team to its first Southern Section title as a quarterback last fall, Curry saw an opportunity to earn a starting position in the season-opening Pacific Shores tournament.

However, an ankle injury sidelined him for the tournament. And then Ellison stepped into the picture, transferring from Hawthorne to Morningside.

“Donminic dominated the tournament and my playing time kind of faded away,” Curry said. “It kind of hurt because I thought that was the only time I would get to show my ability. This year I was ready to step up if the football team prolonged their season.”

The scenario never materialized after the Monarchs were eliminated during the first round of the playoffs, but Curry has proven his mettle.

Curry was selected the most valuable player of the Pacific Shores tournament after scoring 77 points in four games to help the Monarchs to their third title in four seasons.

He had 25 points and 14 rebounds in Morningside’s quarterfinal victory over Serra and finished six of six from the field with 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven steals to help the Monarchs’ rally from an 10-point deficit against Mira Costa in the final.

His father, Dwight Sr., showed similar promise as a player at Morningside. He was an all-league selection as a junior in 1972-73, but missed his senior season because of an ankle injury and dropped out of school shortly thereafter.

“He has the shot that I couldn’t follow up on,” the elder Curry, 36, said.

Alvena Floyd was 17 when Curry was born during the summer before her senior year at Inglewood High. She attempted to return to school, but withdrew early in her senior year when the burden of caring for her son became too great, driving her to attempt suicide when Curry was 2.

“Life was a big downer,” Floyd, 35, said. “Having a baby that young, I was going through a lot of mental changes.”

Needing to find her own direction, Floyd explored the possibility for Curry to live with his grandmother temporarily.

Despite working full-time to support her five children, Maxie Curry was more than willing to take in her grandson. It has since become a permanent arrangement.

“It just boiled down to there was no other place to go,” Maxie, 60, said. “It was a hardship, but this is my blood and I had to do anything I could to reach out.”

All seven of her grandchildren have found shelter at her home during some time and two of Curry’s cousins are presently living at the home. Maxie’s generosity has often extended beyond the family, she has taken in family friends during times of need. At times, as many as 11 people have stayed in her home at once.

“We slept wherever there was room from pull-out beds to couches and the floor,” Curry said.

Floyd, who remains Curry’s legal guardian, is married but has been separated from her husband of eight years for the past nine months. Curry’s father is engaged.

Basketball, though, has helped bring the family together. Father and mother attend Morningside’s games. Curry and his father attend church together and go to a park or gym to play basketball each weekend. Floyd is teaching Curry to drive.

“Even though they don’t live with me, it’s still like having a father and a mother,” Curry said. “I don’t get down about things. I’ll always be the one in the back of the bus laughing and having fun. I’m always a cheerful person even if I have a bad game.”

It’s a predicament Curry has yet to face this season.