AURORA | The glue of Regis Jesuit’s Class 5A state champion girls basketball team has picked her college team.
Senior Kelsi Lidge — who came up with key rebounds, hit timely shots, pressured the ball relentlessly and was adept at baseball-style inbounds passes, things that all came into play for coach Carl Mattei’s Raiders on their way to the 2012-13 5A title — verbally committed to Drexel University over the weekend.
The physical Lidge, who also considered San Diego, Nevada and Seattle, finished third on the team with an average of 8.8 points per game and scored in double figures 12 times.
“Kelsi is the ultimate captain,” Mattei said. “She is encouraging and she takes care of issues I have within the team. She brings the team together and really makes it happen.”
The first team All-City selection and second team All-Continental League pick was a catalyst in the 5A championship game with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists.
Lidge is the third player on Regis Jesuit’s returning roster to commit so far, following Anna Ptasinski (Lafayette, where her older brother — former Regis Jesuit boys star Joey Ptasinski — also plays) and leading scorer Justine Hall, who last week verballed to Purdue.
The three pledges up the total to 28 Division I recruits for Mattei in his 10 years at Regis Jesuit. Three more regulars — Diani Akigbogun, Jordyn Molyneaux and Neffie Lockley — also having standing Division I offers, but have yet to officially commit.
Akigbogun, Gatorade’s Colorado Player of the Year, the MVP of the Show all-star game and an All-City first teamer, could end up at Michigan, while Northwestern is interested in Molyneaux and Howard wants Lockley.
