CINCINNATI — Purcell Marian High School girls basketball coach Jamar Mosley was shopping at Kroger a couple weeks ago when he was recognized by a grade-school student.
"She was like, 'Hey are you Dee's coach?' I'm like, 'Hi, I'm coach Jamar,'" Mosley said with a smile. "It was just funny that it was like, 'Hey, that's Dee's coach.'"
Dee is Dee Alexander, the Purcell Marian sophomore wing who helped to lead the Cavaliers to the program's first state championship in March.
Alexander is used to the attention. The 15-year-old is ranked the nation's No. 4 player overall in the 2025 class by ESPN and has 35 scholarship offers.
She averages 27 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals for the Cavaliers (5-1) who play host to Cooper (2-1) at 7:30 p.m. today.
"I think she's done an outstanding job of living up to those expectations with the spotlight, with the cameras on her every single play she goes," Mosley said.
Alexander is making an impact on Greater Cincinnati high school basketball beyond the court, too.
In August, the 2022 Division III state player of the year hosted 'Camp Dee' for dozens of student-athletes learning about basketball. That was five months after Alexander led Purcell Marian to the state title as a freshman.
"For me it was fun," Alexander said. "Since I'm so young and I was so close in age with the highest age that I can have at the camp. And I enjoyed it. And I'm happy that all the kids that were there — they enjoyed it as well."
Alexander wanted the ability to connect with others in the game and that resonated with those who attended the camp.
"Kids really do look up to her," Mosley said. "And the fact that she wants to give back already — that just says a lot about Darianna Alexander as a person. She's doing a phenomenal job of not allowing the lights to give her a big head. You tell a 15-year-old player that you are a No. 2 player in the country - you're this, you're that. She's just a regular kid at Purcell Marian High School."
Alexander enjoys everything about competing for the Miami Valley Conference program which moved from Division III to Division II this season.
She smiles when asked about a game-day tradition of eating cheese quesadillas or something related to bread and cheese.
It has worked well for Alexander, who has scored double digits in every high school game of her career.
"Her leadership on and off the floor is one thing that has really stood out and impressed us as a coaching staff," Mosley said. "She's really taken on that leader, that captain role for our program."
And that's why adding another state championship banner — this time in Division II — would mean so much in March.
"Same thing as last year," Alexander said of the team's potential. "Just get better and win state again and do our best."
