CINCINNATI — The Purcell Marian High School girls basketball team will play this week for a fourth consecutive state championship.
Senior Dee Alexander scored 23 points and sophomore Samaya Wilkins had 21 points as Purcell Marian defeated Toledo Notre Dame Academy 72-53 in a Division III state semifinal Sunday afternoon at St. Marys Memorial High School.
Purcell Marian (22-6) plays Avon Lake (23-5) in the state final at 1 p.m. Friday at University of Dayton Arena.
“It’s a great feeling playing for our fourth consecutive state title,” Purcell Marian coach Jamar Mosley said.
Purcell Marian is attempting to become the fourth girls basketball program in Ohio High School Athletic Association history to win at least four consecutive state championships.
Mount Notre Dame (2006-09), South Euclid Regina (2000-03) and Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown (2009-13) accomplished that feat.
Purcell Marian won the 2024 and 2023 Division II state titles and the 2022 Division III state championship.
On Sunday afternoon, Purcell Marian played well from start to finish — jumping out to a 15-point lead over Toledo Notre Dame.
“NDA did a great job cutting the lead to three in the third quarter, but our girls kept their composure and got the job done,” Mosley said.
Mosley said Wilkins and Alexander had very impressive performances on the court.
“Samaya and Dee were on great today,” Mosley said. “Demanding the ball, then dominating inside.”
Alexander, a Ms. Basketball finalist for a third consecutive season after winning the award twice, has scored 2,346 points in her memorable career. Alexander is No. 16 in the Ohio High School Athletic Association girls basketball career points list.
Alexander, who is signed with the University of Cincinnati, could become just the second player in state history to win Ms. Basketball three times.
Canton McKinley’s Kierstan Bell won the award three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019. The Ohio Ms. Basketball award started in 1988.
The Ms. Basketball award will be named at noon Wednesday.
