Scouting the Niles North sectional championship
Niles North Class 4A sectional championship
No. 3 Notre Dame (20-8) vs. No. 1 Glenbrook North (22-4)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Road to the sectional final: Notre Dame d. No. 14 Leyden 69-55, No. 6 Maine South 46-43, No. 7 Glenbrook South 64-62; Glenbrook North d. No. 18 Maine West 66-37, No. 8 Evanston 73-58, No. 4 Prospect 55-50
Probable starting lineups
Notre Dame Glenbrook North
Player Ht. Yr. Pos. Player Ht. Yr.
Billy Hughes 6-2 Sr. F Alex Dragicevich 6-6 Jr.
Dallas Moreland 6-2 Sr. F Austin Weber 6-4 Jr.
Doug Wollney 6-3 Sr. F Michael Phillips 6-3 Sr.
Jimmy Martin 6-1 Sr. G Connor Nass 5-11 Sr.
Mike DiGregorio 6-1 Sr. G Jordan Schmidt 6-1 Sr.
Scouting report: Can Notre Dame's undersized underdogs join the 1997 AA Elite Eight team as a sectional champion? The Dons certainly believe they can against a Glenbrook North team that has won 13 in a row and is led by the dangerous Dragicevich (21 ppg). "We know they're a very good team," DiGregorio said. "Coach (Tom Les) always says it doesn't matter who we play, it's about what we do. If we play offensively and defensively like we do we'll be alright." Dragicevich scored 27 points on 10-for-17 shooting against Prospect and with his outside shooting ability (4-for-5 on 3s) poses a different matchup problem than Glenbrook South's 6-9 Jack Cooley. Phillips, Weber and Schmidt combined for the Spartans' other 28 points against Prospect as they were able to stop a late turnover-fueled run to advance. "We've been in those situations before," Dragicevich said. "We know how to handle games down the stretch." The guard-oriented Dons committed none of their 6 turnovers in the final 12 minutes Wednesday with DiGregorio (17 points, 5 assists), Wollney (15 points, three 3s) and junior sixth man Shawn Wallace (14 points) leading the way.
What's next: Winner advances to Tuesday's 8 p.m. Hoffman Estates supersectional at the Sears Centre against Waukegan or Warren from the Waukegan sectional.
- Marty Maciaszek