SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Purcell Marian girls basketball team left no doubt on the court Friday night.
Purcell Marian defeated Badin 75-29 Friday night in a Division II regional final for the Cavaliers' fourth consecutive trip to the state Final Four.
The determined focus was evident in Thursday's practice. The Cavaliers simply weren't going to be denied a fourth consecutive regional title.
The energy was palpable early in the first quarter Friday night against Badin on a neutral court nearly 90 minutes away from Cincinnati.
"The girls they came out and said 'We got this,' because we were just talking about something," Mosley said. "They said, 'No, we're going to take care of business.' They just came out and like you said was just clicking on all cylinders from the get-go."
The Cavaliers led 15-0 less than three minutes into the game and 29-8 by the end of the first quarter.
Purcell Marian won its fourth consecutive regional title Friday night in its sixth consecutive regional final appearance.
"We've got a really special group," Mosley said. "And I tell people all the time as good of basketball players they are they're even better student-athletes. They're just an amazing group."
Senior Jayda Mosley scored a game-high 18 points including four 3-pointers. Junior Dee Alexander - an Ohio Ms. Basketball finalist - scored 15 points. Junior Ky'Aira Miller had 10 points.
"It was just us executing what we talked about in the locker room and me getting the rest of four teammates that were on the court involved at all times," Alexander said. "...We never let up."
Purcell Marian (27-1), a reigning two-time state champion, advances to play Copley (25-3) in a Division II state semifinal at 1 p.m. March 15 at University of Dayton Arena. The state final is at 5:15 p.m. March 16 at UD Arena.
"We're on a rise of a peak that we've got going on right now so as long as we just peak in Dayton for the next two games we'll be good and have a three-peat coming home," Alexander said
Purcell Marian has an opportunity to join some very elite company in girls basketball state history next weekend.
Purcell Marian is the 16th team in state history with four consecutive trips to a state Final Four.
Entering this year's state tournament, 20 schools have won at least three girls basketball state titles overall.
The team is trying to become the sixth girls basketball team in state history to win three consecutive state titles.
Ranked No. 13 nationally by ESPN and No. 15 nationally by MaxPreps, the Cavaliers have won 25 consecutive games entering the state Final Four.
Purcell Marian won the 2023 Division II state title, 2022 Division III state title and was a 2021 Division III state semifinalist.
