D2 State Tourney Preview

<!-- wp:image {"id":574739,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/Darriana-Alexander-copy-rotated-crop-3024x1986-1672433496.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-574739" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Purcell Marian (25-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='360697' first='Darriana' last='Alexander'], 6-1 G- top ranked 2025 in our latest rankings and top 3 in America. Sees the floor well, makes the good pass when defense comes out on her. Nearly impossible to defend around the rim. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025- [player_tooltip player_id='451530' first='Cy'Aira' last='Miller'], 5-6 PG- does a great job running the show and her speed and quickness causes problems with her opponents. Good handles, can penetrate and score or connect from the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='451570' first='Ky'Aira' last='Miller'], 5-6 G- Like her sister, she has a very good skillset as her game continues to develop. Good basketball IQ and also can play good pressuring defense which often translates into points for their attack style of play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='316711' first='Jayda' last='Mosley'], 5-7 SG- Oner of the most consistent shooters in Ohio from behind the arc. She can get her shot off quickly and once she gets on a roll, forget about it, she won't miss. Gets to her spots and can create well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Road to Dayton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Wyoming 72-26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Cin. Shroder 85-18</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Mercy McAuley 65-27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Tipp City Tippecanoe 65-20</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Columbus Bexley 65-24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Hamilton Badin 64-54</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Storylines</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Claimed the D3 state title last season anw with a bump up to D2, they are rolling along again. Trying to pull off a rare repeat in a different division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PM is ranked #24 in the latest ESPN rankings, the only Ohio team to land in the Top 25. Also ranked #4 in the final AP Ohio poll in Division 2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Canal Fulton Northwest (26-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='360800' first='Lily' last='Bottomley'], 6-2 P- very efficient from the field, shoots nearly 70% and averages 17 points per game. Good in the paint, rebounds well and is a shot blocker! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 Ashley Cudnik, 5-10 G- Another player in double figures at nearly 14 per game. Like Bottomley, she is a 1000+ point scorer for her career. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 Gianna Kuhn, 5-9 G- what a passer! Not a big scorer, but her main role is to find the scorers and she has done that better than anyone in school history with a record of over 390. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 Ashlyn Stark, 5-6 G- Defense is the name of her game. She is also a school record holder in career steals. Scores at a rate of 9 per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Road to Dayton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. East Cleveland Shaw 52-4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Pepper Pike Orange 66-22</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Tallmadge 40-28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Copley 51-47</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 30-27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Canfield 51-29</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Storylines</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Northwest has reached this stage with a record season. They now have a school record with most wins in a season and of the 5 seniors who start, 4 of them have won three league titles in the Principals Athletic Conference. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Bryan (25-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='93543' first='Reese' last='Grothaus'], 5-8 G- named first-team All-District and very deservingly so. She is an experienced and steady player who is a great leader for her team. An excellent perimeter shooter with deep range.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 Kailee Thiel, 6-1 F- active small forward who moves well without the ball and defends well with good footwork. Tall and athletic, she is a solid defender against multiple positions, can block shots well around the rim and pressure the ball out front. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 Ella Voigt, 5-9 G- I have her listed as an off guard but she also can play the small forward spot. Has good range with handles. Looking forward to seeing her game in Dayton this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Road to Dayton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Elida 41-37</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. St. Mary's 47-39</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Lima Bath 47-39</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Akron St Vincent St. Marys 44-43</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Norwalk 58-45</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Storylines</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It hasn't been a walk in the park for this team through the tourney. Nearly everyone else had some blowout victories, but Bryan only had one win in double figures. Every one of their games has been a battle, so they are used to close games. It has them battle tested for the post season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":325845,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2021/09/115-Sabrina-Bree-Allen-scaled.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-325845" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Proctorville Fairland (27-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key players</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='93545' first='Tomi' last='Hinkle'], 5-7 G- Player of the Year in her district and she has all the tools. Averages 11.5 points on a balanced team with over 1,200 career points and 500 rebounds. Outstanding leader with a lot of upside at the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='316723' first='Bree' last='Allen'], 6-0 F- One of Ohio's best 2024s with the complete package. Leading scorer at 13.8 points with over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds for her career.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='316721' first='Kylee' last='Bruce'], 6-0 W- A solid player who does a nice effective job around the rim. Good footwork and does a nice job rebounding the ball. Has over 500 for her career. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='319037' first='Kamryn' last='Barnitz'], 5-5 G- Love her leadership and her work ethic. Plays with passion and energy, can control the tempo of the game. Scores 8 per game, bur does so much more than score.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='481371' first='Bailey' last='Russell'], 5-9 G- For a freshman, I love how her game has grown. Scoring 13 points per game, she continues to open eyes with her solid play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='481365' first='Addison' last='Godby'], 6-0 G- Another freshman, who along with Russell and [player_tooltip player_id='537676' first='Isa' last='Taliaferro'] gives Fairland a great nucleus of talent to keep this run going.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Road to Dayton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Washington Court House 82-27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Circleville 61-23</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Fairfield Union 68-39</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Chillicothe Unioto 88-61</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>def. Granville 41-25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Storylines</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Likely the deepest team in the D2 field, they utilize their talent well and spread out the basketball to get all involved.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of only two unbeaten teams left in the state tournament, joining Tri Village in D4.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->