MERIDA, Mexico — Purcell Marian High School 2025 wing Dee Alexander is returning to Greater Cincinnati as a gold medalist.
Alexander helped USA Basketball's U16 Women's National Team defeat Canada 79-59 Monday night in the gold medal game of the FIBA U16 Americas Championships in Merida, Mexico.
Alexander scored three points and had three rebounds, two assists and a steal in the championship game.
The U16 team, which has a 42-1 competition record, won its fourth consecutive gold medal. The team has won gold in seven of the past eight times in the event. The team has won 24 consecutive games.
It was the sixth meeting in the final between USA and Canada in the history of the competition.
The U.S. team wasn't seriously challenged during the week in Mexico. The U.S. team defeated Argentina in the semifinals, 112-48, on Sunday at Poliforum Zamná.
Alexander scored a game-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals in 93-29 win over Colombia June 14.
The international event was another opportunity for Alexander to be in the spotlight.
Alexander, Ohio's Ms. Basketball this past high school season, led Purcell Marian to its second straight state title this past March. The Cavaliers defeated Canal Fulton Northwest 57-48 to win the Division II state final at University of Dayton Arena.
Alexander, the MaxPreps Ohio Player of the Year, told WCPO on June 16 she liked the experience of playing in Mexico this month.
"Just me meeting new people and me actually being able to explore somewhere else that's outside of the United States," Alexander said. "Just being here in Merida, Mexico it's very fun and I enjoy it."
Alexander said she built a special bond with her teammates since the trials portion of the U16 team in late May in Colorado Springs and through the training camp that followed.
Alexander said last week the gold medal would represent everything to the U.S. team.
"It would mean the most to us because when we first got to Colorado at the beginning of the sessions we all made a goal to win the gold medal," Alexander said. "So just us knowing that we got it and us building together - we believe in each other and we got it."
The U.S. roster was selected by the USA Basketball Women’s Developmental National Team Committee and represents the graduating classes of 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens, born on or after January 1, 2007.
Ranked the nation's No. 4 player in the 2025 class by ESPN, Alexander averaged 25.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals this past season for Purcell Marian. She has scored 1,361 points in her high school basketball career and is just the second sophomore in Ohio girls basketball history to capture Ohio Ms. Basketball honors.
