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Walker scores 26 in St. Francis victory over ACC

Unable as a freshman to obtain her usual No. 23 with her new girls basketball team, St. Francis junior Antwainette Walker has since embraced uniform No. 00.

On Wednesday the three-year varsity starter and the Spartans met their first opposing 00 - Aurora Central Catholic 6-foot-3 senior Taylor Harazin - in the Class 3A Wheaton Academy regional semifinals.

"(Otherwise) it's either just 0. I don't remember another one," Walker said.

Both 00s gave five-star performances before the Spartans prevailed 50-40 in West Chicago.

In a rematch of last year's IMSA regional final, St. Francis (17-11), the No. 3 seed in the subsectional of the Kaneland sectional, meets No. 2 Sycamore (19-9) at 7 p.m. Friday for the regional title. St. Francis won last year's meeting in the IMSA regional final 48-41.

Walker had 26 points, just shy of her season high, and 14 rebounds for the Spartans. That included 14 of 16 third-quarter points, when St. Francis took the lead for good.

Harazin had 22 points, 4 shy of her personal high, and 8 rebounds for the No. 5 Chargers (13-16) with 11 of their first 13 points.

"Obviously, that's crazy. I've never seen (another 00) before either," Harazin said. "I thought my number was kind of rare. (Walker is) an awesome player. I guess 00s just have a thing, right?"

Seven was the other prominent number in the outcome.

St. Francis scored the last seven points of the second quarter to lead 19-15 at the break. After ACC closed within 1 point four times and pulled ahead 29-28, the Spartans scored the last seven points of the third quarter to lead 35-29.

After St. Francis extended its lead to double digits in the fourth quarter, ACC came no closer than 46-38 on Alexis Camp's 3-pointer with 2:01 to play.

St. Francis junior Shelby Winkelman added 8 points, senior Mia Mazza 7.

"I think we did a good job of actually coming out with a good mentality and keeping it through because normally we get really inconsistent," Mazza said.

The Chargers started four seniors and freshman Delani Kosner. Senior reserve Sabrina Ganofsky added 6 points and 7 rebounds, and senior Shakira DelToro had 8 rebounds.

ACC dictated a half-court tempo, owning the overall size advantage and respecting the Spartans' ability to press and transition. With the Chargers' early success also came 1-for-7 free-throw shooting in the first half and 19 turnovers for the game.

"They're all thoroughbreds. They run. They press," ACC coach Mark Fitzgerald said of St. Francis. "We had to slow the game down and limit the possessions. We did it quite well, but a few key turnovers, missed free throws here and there, that's the kind of stuff that hurts."

Perhaps because of the slower pace, St. Francis had a season-low 8 turnovers. But the Spartans also held their own inside, scoring its final three baskets of the first half after offensive rebounds, including a Christine Fasana 3.

"I think we emphasized that if we took care of the ball, possessed it and valued it that it would be good for us in the long run," St. Francis coach Melissa Taylor said. "At this point I think we appreciate the end result and we've still got a lot of work to do. They know it's one and done. They're going to keep fighting and fighting despite being the mouse in the house and overcoming the bigs today."

Last year marked the Spartans' first regional title since 2003. This year's team is much more senior-based with two of them starters and seven on the roster.

"(Last year was) really big because it hadn't happened so long for the school," Mazza said. "Getting that regional title was pretty monumental so we definitely want to get it two times in a row. It would be pretty sweet."

Walker passed 1,000 varsity points Jan. 16. She took the No. 00 as a suggestion because it was once worn by the daughter of Mike Phillips, the St. Francis coach her freshman season.

Harazin requested No. 00 from Fitzgerald when she came to ACC from tiny St. Irene Catholic School in Warrenville. She plans to play college basketball after nearly scoring 1,000 points.

"I was like, 'I'm coming to this school but I have to wear 00,' " Harazin said. "I think 00 is just a rare number. I don't want to be like a No. 10 or number that everyone uses. I want people to remember me. And my number. I just kind of like it's different. I'm different."

Images: St. Francis vs. Aurora Central Catholic, girls basketball

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