Ohio is becoming less of a best-kept secret for girls high school basketball talent with programs such as Cincinnati Purcell Marian becoming nationally recognized. Purcell Marian enters the 2024-25 season ranked 12th in the nation by MaxPreps last week.
In Greater Akron/Canton, elite players have emerged throughout the years, such as current WNBA player Kierstan Bell.
As a preview to this season, the high school sports staff of the USA Today Network’s 21 Ohio newspapers and websites compiled a who’s who of the Buckeye State’s prep girls basketball players.
This is one of a series that will include boys basketball’s top 25 players this winter.
No. 1 ‒ Dee Alexander, Purcell Marian
USA Today Ohio Network voters unanimously chose the 6-foot-1 senior as the state’s best player. As the two-time defending Ohio Ms. Basketball, Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year and a member of the MaxPreps All-America second team, Alexander can lead the Cavaliers to a fourth straight state championship. Ranked 12th in the nation, the Cavaliers are the heavy favorites to win the Division IV title this year, and Alexander has a solid chance to become the second player in OHSAA history to win three Ms. Basketball awards. The University of Cincinnati commit averaged 18.4 points, eight rebounds, four assists and 2.5 steals per game as a junior.
No. 2 (tie) ‒ Mari Gerton, Princeton
The Florida State commit dazzles on offense while her length makes her a major factor on the defensive end. Gerton, a 5-8 senior, has a pure jump shot but is crafty and shifty enough to get to the basket with ease. Last year, she led all of Southwest Ohio in scoring at 21.6 points per game. She also averaged 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.9 steals as a junior.
No. 2 (tie) ‒ Bryn Martin, Springboro
The 6-1 University of Washington commit averaged 21.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.1 steals as a junior. Her height helped her shoot 41.1 percent from 3-point range. She was named the Greater Western Ohio Conference Player of the Year and DI all-state first team. In leading the Panthers to the DI state title game, Martin had one of the most prolific scoring runs in recent history. She scored 33 points in an instant classic regional semifinal win, then set a state tournament record with 38 points in a win over Pickerington Central.
No. 4 ‒ Naomi Benson, Streetsboro
Benson, a 6-3 senior, committed to the University of Illinois after receiving more than 40 Division I offers. She averaged 16.2 points and 11.5 rebounds last season, helping Streetsboro to its first-ever league and district titles.
No. 5 ‒ Madison Parrish, Mason
Parrish is a four-year starter looking to lead the Comets to their first state tournament appearance since her freshman year in 2022. The West Virginia commit is one of the most prolific scorers in Cincinnati. As a 6-foot senior, she can score seemingly at will at all three levels and can take over a game in the blink of an eye. She averaged 17 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals during the 2023-2024 season.
No. 6 ‒ Kailee Bransford, Mount Notre Dame
The 5-7 senior and University of Akron commit averaged 12.2 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game last year. She was named the Girls Greater Catholic League Player of the Year and a DI all-state second-team honoree. She is the second DI commit in her family. Her older sister K.K., former Ohio Ms. Basketball and McDonald’s All-American, is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame.
No. 7 ‒ Sydney Mobley, Big Walnut
A transfer from Olentangy, the 6-2 sophomore forward made a splash as a freshman, averaging 17.0 points, 12.0 rebounds. 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals to earn first-team all-state, all-district and all-OCC-Cardinal honors. She also helped lead the Braves to a Division I district title. Mobley already has 25 Division I college offers.
No. 8 ‒ Ky’Aira Miller, Cincinnati Purcell Marian
She became the Cavaliers’ all-time assist leader as a sophomore and has 405 for her career. She also became the fourth player in school history to record a triple-double when she had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against Norwood on Feb. 3. After considering several Division I offers, the 5-foot-8 senior committed and signed with Bowling Green. She led the Miami Valley Conference with 4.4 assists per game and averaged 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and two steals per game as a junior. She was an All-MVC first-team selection and an All-Ohio DII third-team honoree.
No. 9 ‒ Caitlyn Holmes, Ellet
Holmes, a Kent State commit, averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals last season for Ellet. The 5-7 senior already holds her school’s career points record, and she still has another season to run up the point total. The Kent State University recruit was a second-team All-Ohio selection last season.
No. 10 ‒ Elise Bender, Whitehouse Anthony Wayne
At 6-1, Bender earned first-team all-state honors for Division I last season and was a finalist for Ohio Ms. Basketball when she averaged 23.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.9 steals per game. She is committed to continuing her basketball career at Villanova University.
No. 11 ‒ Olivia Klanac, Medina
Klanac was named first-team all-state for Division I last season when she averaged 19.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. The 5-9 senior is 44 points away from breaking the Medina girls record for career points. She is committed to playing Division I basketball at Coastal Carolina.
No. 12 ‒ Whitney Stafford, Olentangy
With Mobley now playing at Big Walnut, Stafford is the No. 1 player for an Olentangy team that went 24-2 last winter and won its first district title since 1998. The 5-8 junior guard was first-team all-state, all-district and All-OCC-Cardinal last season, averaging 17.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 1.9 assists. Her college offers include Akron, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Robert Morris and Youngstown State.
No. 13 ‒ Gracie Cosgrove, Hamilton Badin
As a sophomore, she put her name in Ohio High School Athletic Association record books when she made 14 3-pointers and scored 48 points against Chaminade Julienne. Last year, she made at least four 3-pointers on nine different occasions. As a junior, she was second in the GCL-Coed in scoring at 16.3 points per game. Standing 5-9, she led the league with 95 made 3-pointers, grabbed 2.5 steals per game and pulled down 2.4 rebounds per game.
No. 14 ‒ Joi Williams, CVCA
Williams averaged 22.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.4 steals in 2023-24 on her way to conference player of the year honors. She shot 53.9% from the field and 81.9% from the free-throw line. Going into her senior season, she has already eclipsed 1,200 career points. Williams is committed to Merrimack College.
No. 15 ‒ Maddie Moody, Kettering Alter
The 6-foot senior scored 17.4 points per game last season on the way to first-team all-state honors in Division III. She will continue her basketball career at Northern Kentucky University after this season.
No. 16 ‒ Daniah Trammell, Cincinnati Winton Woods
As a junior, the 6-1 University of Buffalo commit was the ECC Defensive Player of the Year and earned DI all-state special mention. During the 2023-2024 season, she led the ECC with 9.4 rebounds and was second in the conference with 16.3 points per game.
No. 17 ‒ Alli Robertson, Harrison
Harrison’s all-time leading scorer, a four-year starter, has a chance to eclipse 2,000 points for her prep career. At 6-1, she dominates in the post on both ends of the floor but has the versatility to force opponents to guard her at every position. The Southern Indiana commit averaged 20.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals last year. In 70 career games, she has scored less than 10 points just twice. She is the defending Southwest Ohio Conference Player of the Year and a DI all-state special mention.
No. 18 ‒ Layla Hale, Cincinnati West Clermont
She was a first-team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference selection and third-team DI All-Ohio selection as a sophomore. The 6-foot junior was third in the ECC at 15.9 points per game while also contributing 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.
No. 19 ‒ Jenna Slates, Green
The 6-0 senior Ashland University commit averaged 17.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.9 steals last season, and she’s already Green’s all-time leader in rebounds and steals. She shot 46.1% from the floor and 73.3% from the foul line.
No. 20 ‒ Destiny Dulkoski, Tuslaw
The senior center/forward, who led Tuslaw to a 19-6 season and a district semifinal appearance, averaged 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game last season and earned a shooting percentage of 51.6% from the floor and 69.7% from the free-throw line. She also shot nearly 35% from 3-point range. After this season, she will continue her career with Ursuline College.
No. 21 ‒ Peyton Mounce, Urbana
Mounce was named Division III first-team all-state after her junior season in 2023-24. She averaged 18.0 points and 12.7 rebounds per game to earn that honor. She has an offer from Division I Detroit Mercy.
No. 22 ‒ Mya Taylor, Canton McKinley
The junior shooting guard, who was special mention All-Ohio in 2024, led the Federal League last season with 22.5 points per game and also added 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals per contest.
No. 23 ‒ Kali Fortson, Cincinnati Princeton
As a junior, Fortson led the Greater Miami Conference with 7.6 rebounds and a 55.6 field goal percentage. Scoring 10.5 points per game, she was named to the GMC’s second team and All-Ohio honorable mention. It’s no surprise the senior stands at 6-1; her father is former University of Cincinnati and NBA player Danny Fortson.
No. 24 ‒ Sienna Allen, Portsmouth
In 2023-24, the 6-foot junior averaged 15.8 points to earn Division III all-state first-team honors, along with the Division III Southeast District Player of the Year award. She helped lead Portsmouth to win its first district title since 1984 last season.
No. 25 ‒ Niera Stevens, Hoban
Stevens, a junior, averaged 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.3 assists per game for Hoban in her sophomore season. She put up 28 points in the district semifinals against Ellet, showing off huge offensive potential that she could tap into even more this season.
Others receiving votes
Lauryn Auchmuty, Columbus Grove; Lyndsey Best, Martins Ferry; Avery Brandewie, Fort Loramie; Jameka Brungard, New Middletown Springfield; Kelly Crites, Sherwood Fairview; Elizabeth Dunmire, Cleveland VA-SJ; Addison Edgington, Circleville; Elly Evarts, Gibsonburg; Maddie Garber, Tri-Valley; Calli Geller, Newark; Honor Hall, Richmond Heights; Julia Hall, Magnificat; MacKenzie Harvey, Tri-Valley; Kennedy Houston, Columbus Centennial; Elizabeth Hunt, Upper Arlington; Morgan Karam, Dover; Maliyah Lofton, Harvest Prep; Tatiana Mason, Brush; Nylah McShan, Steubenville; Victoria Mescher, Fort Loramie; Sophie Peloquin, Newark Catholic; Addison Rhodes, Columbiana Crestview; Hailey Rees, Bellevue; Aira Regan, Chippewa; Daysha Reid, Portsmouth; McKenna Scott, Indian Creek; Milee Smith, Unioto; Kendall Sury, Waterford; Riley Thomas, Strasburg; Kaylah Thornton, Kettering Fairmont; Avae Unrast, Marion Local; Halle Warner, Sheridan; Taylee Woodbury, Mississinawa Valley; Joplin Yoder, Berlin Hiland; Riley Zamensky, New Concord John Glenn.
