Sophomore guard Lana Kerley is not afraid to shoot a 3-pointer for Lincoln-Way East.
She made three against Lockport to push her season total to a whopping 76.
Kerley also isn’t afraid to get physical when there is a loose ball or a rebound.
That’s the Irish football in her.
“There are basically no fouls in it at all, so you can run into people,” Kerley said. “I’ve been playing it since I was 3.”
She brought both parts of her game into play Monday night to lead the host Griffins to a 42-34 victory in a Class 4A Lincoln-Way East Regional semifinal.
The 5-foot-10 Kerley had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Griffins (17-12). Sanai Tyler added 11 points, while Maddie Yacobozzi contributed nine.
Paige Rannells scored 20 points for Lockport (15-15). Alaina Peetz added seven rebounds.
Lincoln-Way East will play Bolingbook at 7 p.m. Thursday for the regional title.
Kerley plays Irish football for a club team during the spring and summer at Gaelic Park in Oak Forest.
“It’s a mix of football, volleyball, soccer, rugby … there is a ton of stuff in it,” Kerley said. “We go to big tournaments. This summer it’s in Chicago. But sometimes we might go to Philadelphia or Boston.
“Irish football is tougher on your body. But mentally, basketball is tougher because there are so many different things to remember.”
During the final minute of Monday night’s game, Kerley had all the bases covered.
The Griffins were clinging to a two-point lead with 52 seconds remaining when Kerley tied up a Lockport player during a rebound to gain possession. As the play ended, she crash-landed on her back.
The painful effort was worth it after a layup by Tyler.
“It still hurts a little bit,” Kerley said afterward. “I’ll just ice it.”
Twice during the final 25 seconds, Kerley secured a rebound and was fouled. She hit all four free throws to lock up the win for the Griffins.
Tough kid.
“I mean, this could have been our last game,” Kerley said. “I had to put it all on the line.”
The 3-point part of her game came out early. Kerley hit a pair in the first quarter and another in the third.
“She has a pretty good touch,” East coach Jim Nair said. “When she has her feet set and she’s comfortable, we have the feeling there’s a pretty good chance it’s going in.
“Sometimes, we’ve brought her off the bench because that way she’s a little calmer. When she’s calm and comfortable, her shot’s right there.”
Yacobozzi was key for the Griffins during the middle of the game, scoring six points in the second quarter and adding a 3-pointer in the third on an assist by Kerley.
Motivated? Oh, yes.
When the two teams met Feb. 1, Lockport came back to tie at the buzzer in regulation and won 47-45 on a last-second shot in overtime.
“I feel like we could have won that game,” Yacobozzi said. “Coming into this one, I knew there were things we could do better, and if we kept our head in the game, we could pull out the win. I didn’t want our season to be over.”
Kerley and Yacobozzi have been teammates since playing together on a travel team in fifth grade.
“Our team was not good,” Yacobozzi said, laughing. “We were very bad. We’ve both come a long way.
“Lana is just a really big presence on the court. You know where she is. She’s always wanting the ball, always wanting to score. You know you can rely on Lana when you’re stuck in a situation and you need help.”