The DePaul Prep Rams girls’ basketball team is 10-0. I feel bad I have not covered more of their games and showcases the start of this historic season.
I did get out to Chicago Elite Classic to see the Rams hand Bolingbrook their only loss of the season so far. Returning starters Ava Giordano, Grace Lee and Kaitlin Totaro are joined by senior Lucia Trautman and sophomore Ramiyah Puckett.
I was impressed. Despite an uncharacteristically large number of turnovers in the first quarter of the game, this group pulled it together and rallied for a 23-18 first half lead.
The DePaul Prep Rams girls’ varsity has had considerable success in recent years particularly under former head coach Sarah Zarymbski (Gordon Tech 2014) with 2020, 2022 and 2023 appearances in a 2A super-sectionals. Last year was the first year of current Rams’ head coach Corey Morgan. The Rams finished with a respectable 20-14 record and a loss to in a 3A sectional final to eventual champion Montini.
The Rams gaudy 10-0 record this year includes a recent victories over Trinity and Bloom.
Back to the Bolingbrook game. Bolingbrook grabbed a 32-31 lead with 18 seconds left in the third. The Rams put together an impressive 18-8 run in the fourth quarter to salt away a nice win on a big stage against a 4A powerhouse.
I really liked an inbounds play were senior point guard Ava Giordano passed the ball inbounds to senior forward Grace Lee. Lee immediately dished it back to Giordano who drove to the basketball for a bucket. It actually worked twice to seal the win late in the fourth.
“We have nine seniors who understand what DePaul is all about. They have seen the boys have a tremendous amount of success. They are buying into what we are saying and teaching. They are just trying to jump on that train,” said DePaul Prep Rams’ head coach Corey Morgan.
Senior Ava Giordano, point guard since her sophomore year, who can also shoot the three, spoke after the game, “I want to make a great run this year. I think we can do that with my teammates.”
Stay tuned. I sure will.
