Dee Alexander of Purcell Marian repeats as Ohio's Ms. Basketball
For the second consecutive season, Purcell Marian's Dee Alexander has been voted as Ohio's Ms. Basketball by the Ohio Prep Sportswriter's Association.
Alexander, a 6-foot-1 junior, averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals per game for the Cavaliers, who will play in the Division II state semifinals on Friday, March 15 at 1:00 pm against Copley. Purcell Marian won the Division III state championship in 2022 and 223 before moving up to Division II this season.
Alexander is the second straight player to win back-to-back Ohio Ms. Basketball awards, following KK Bransford of Mount Notre Dame, who took home the honor in 2021 and 2022. By winning as a sophomore and as a junior, Alexander now has a chance to join Canton McKinley's Kierstan Bell as a 3-time winner. Bell, the only player to win the award three times in a row, did so from 2017-19.
The Ohio Ms. Basketball voting process for OPSWA members is the same as that used to determine the Heisman Trophy winner in college football. First place votes get three points, second-place votes get two points and third-place votes get one point.
Ohio’s Ms. Basketball was selected by the Associated Press from 1987-2016. Since 2017 it has been presented by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.
Loudonville's Corri Vermilya was the runner-up, followed by Berry Wallace of Pickerington Central and Saniyah Hall of Laurel. All four will be in Dayton this weekend as their teams are in the state semifinals.
2024 Ohio Ms. Basketball Finalists
Finalists listed in alphabetical order. Bio listed below as received from OPSWA district chairs.
Dee Alexander, Purcell-Marian, 6-1, jr
Reigning Ms. Basketball is the Southwest District Division II player of the year. She is a 6-1 junior forward with over 30 Division I offers and leads a team that will contend for a third straight state title. Averages: 19 ppg, 8 rpg, 4 apg, 2 spg,
Elise Bender, Whitehouse Anthony Wayne, 6-1, Jr.
Two-time Northern Lakes League Player of the Year has previously been a two-time All-Ohio third team selection in Division I. This season, Bender averaged 23.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.9 steals per game. She had 1,352 points in her career through the regular season, as well as 485 rebounds. Anthony Wayne reached the state semifinals with her as a freshman in 2022. This season, Wayne was 20-2 and finished ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll. Uncommitted, Bender holds Division I offers from Villanova, Toledo, BGSU, Kent, CMU, Ohio, Cleveland State, Harvard, Loyola-Chicago, YSU and Oakland.
Emily Bratton, Bloom-Carroll, 5-7, sr.
The two-time Central District Division II and District 11 Coaches Association player of the year and three-time Mid-State League Buckeye Division player of the year, Bratton averaged 23.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 4.7 steals and shot 46 percent from the field (43 from three with 80 makes) and 86 percent at the line for a 20-5 district champion. Entering a district final, the Miami University signee had scored 1,719 points with 236 three-point goals, both program records. Bratton's career averages were 18.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.4 steals. She was selected for the Ohio North-South all-star game.
Saniyah Hall, Shaker Heights Laurel, 6-2, so.
NE Lakes District POY averages 25.7 points. She is the No. 3-ranked player nationally in the Class of 2026 by ESPN with offers from Notre Dame to USC. This season, she averaged 25.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.8 steals and 1.5 blocks for the Gators (12-10), who played an elite schedule. She had two 40-point games, three 30-point games, 15 double-doubles and one triple-double.
Bryn Martin, Springboro, 6-1, jr.
GWOC POY for second straight year, 1,000 points, school 3-pt record, 20.8 ppg, 57% 2pt% (101/176), 41% 3pt% (55/134); overall FG% 50.3%, 88.3% FT (91/103), 4.5 apg, 4.5 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 2.1 spg, Offers: Ohio State, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan State, Penn State, Washington, BYU, UCF, Pitt, Dayton, Xavier, Butler, Harvard
Ashley Mullet, Berlin Hiland, 5-8, sr.
Mullet averaged 21 points, 5 assists, 3.5 steals and 3 rebounds per game, along with shooting 45% behind the arc for the 20-2 Hawks. Along with being the East District Division IV Girls Player of the Year, she also was named the Inter-Valley Conference South Division and District 5 Player of the Year and will be the District 5 representative for the state all-star game. She ranks among the top six in school history for points, assists and steals and is on pace to be among the top 5 in OHSAA history for games played.
Corri Vermilya, Loudonville, 5-9, sr.
Ms. Basketball nominee and strong candidate for Division IV Player of the Year. ... 5-foot-9 senior guard and dominant all-around player for district champ Loudonville ... 27.8 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 4.2 APG, 6.7 SPG. ... Per OHSAA record books, Corri is the only player in Ohio history with 2,200 points, 1,100 rebounds, 300 assists, 500 steals and 100 blocks. ... Two-time Northeast Inland District Player of the Year. OPSWA Division III State Player of the Year last season. First team All-Ohio as a sophomore and junior. ... Committed to D2 power Ashland University (15 minutes from home) as a sophomore despite being recruited by D1 colleges. ... Four-time Inland District and District 4 coaches association first teamer. Three-time District 4 coaches association POY. ... MaxPreps Small School All-America fourth team in 2023. ... Never lost a league game in four-year career (Loudonville has won eight straight league championships). ... Scored a season-high 47 points in win against D1 Akron Ellet this season. Career-high 59 points in OCC championship game vs. Mansfield Senior last year. 75 career double-doubles, 10 triple-doubles, one quadruple-double. ... Two-time First Team Academic All-American from National High School Coaches Association.
Berry Wallace, Pickerington Central, 6-1, sr.
The Division I Central District, District 11 Coaches Association and OCC Buckeye Division player of the year, Wallace averages 17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals, shooting 59 percent from the field (42 on threes) and 89 percent at the line for a top-seeded, second-ranked 23-3 district champion. Considered among the top 20 seniors in the nation by USA Today and ESPNW HoopGurlz, the Illinois signee was chosen to play in the prestigious McDonalds national all-star game. Entering a district final, Wallace had exceeded 1,400 career points, 900 rebounds and 250 assists and the Tigers were 82-23 in her career with four district championships.
-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh
