Gigi DiGrazia knows why Driscoll is having its most successful girls basketball season.
Playing — and losing to — 10th-ranked Montini, Rosary and Oak Park helped the Highlanders win their first regional title last week and beat Latin 60-37 in the Class 2A sectional semifinals Monday at Lisle.
“I could speak for everyone out here, but when this team was pressing us, I knew we could get through it pretty well,” DiGrazia said. “Teams like (Suburban Catholic rival) Montini, which has an amazing full-court press and trap — and they do it the entire game — to play teams like that, it just prepares you.”
The beauty of all this for the Highlanders (24-5) is that they won’t have to meet Montini or Rosary, which are in the Class 3A tournament, or 4A Oak Park.
Next up for Driscoll will be Walther Lutheran (27-4) in Thursday’s sectional final. The Broncos knocked out Holy Trinity 64-47.
DiGrazia, who went Downstate by herself last season in the three-point shooting contest, helped Driscoll take a 28-14 halftime lead by scoring all 10 of her points in the second quarter with three three-pointers and a free throw.
Latin (19-7) fell behind 40-17 late in the third quarter after a 10-0 Driscoll run. The Romans responded with a 9-0 run of their own — seven of those points coming from Jasmine Jones (19 points) — to cut the Highlanders’ lead to 40-26. But Driscoll was able to withstand the pressure and advance to its first sectional final.
Courtney Lindfors, a 6-foot-4-inch sophomore, led Driscoll with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Emma Schmidt-Swartz had 14 points and 16 rebounds in Walther Lutheran’s victory. The Broncos are seeking their third consecutive trip to the state quarterfinals.
———-
asutton@tribune.com
