OHIO’S BEST
Top 22 high school girls basketball players in the state in 2021-22
O1. K.K. Bransford, Mount Notre Dame
K.K. Bransford hio produces plenty of high-quality high school girls basketball players who will put their talents on display this winter. h As a preview to this season, the high school sports staff of the Gannett Corp.’s more than 60 Ohio newspapers and websites compiled a who’s who of the Buckeye State’s girls basketball players for the 2021-2022 season. h Here are the best girls basketball players in Ohio:
The reigning Ms. Ohio Basketball and Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year is a Notre Dame signee and the two-time defending player of the year in the Girls Greater Catholic League. The senior has led Mount Notre Dame to two Division I state championships in three seasons (2019, 2021), and the Cougars were in the state final four before the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bransford led the GGCL in points per game (21.4), assists per game (5.1), shooting percentage (51.5) and steals per game (three).
E.L. HUBBARD FOR THE ENQUIRER
3. Cotie Mcmahon, Centerville
The senior has averaged double figures in three consecutive seasons, helping lead the Elks to a 63-15 record, two Greater Western Ohio Conference titles, two district championships and a regional final appearance. She signed to play at Ohio State.
7. Kyla Oldacre, Mason
The center is a threetime first-team GMC selection, first with Princeton in 2019 and 2020, then with Mason last season. In 2021, Oldacre was fourth in the GMC in scoring (14.9 points), second in field goal percentage (57.5), second in rebounds (9.1) and first in blocks (3.2). She is committed to the University of Miami.
11. Lauren Scott, Worthington Kilbourne
The 5-7 senior guard, entered the season needing 28 points to become the program’s all-time leading scorer but suffered a torn ACL in her right knee in a season-opener and is out for the season. She is a Wright State signee.
15. Morgan Hunt, Tri-village
The junior was thirdteam all-district as a freshman in 2020, then averaged 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game last season to earn first-team All-ohio honors.
19. Leena Patibandla, Massillon Jackson
The 6-1 junior was selected Stark County Girls Athlete of the Year for 2020-21 after being allcounty in volleyball, basketball and track and field (state qualifier in discus and high jump). She averaged 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists last season.
4. Imarianah Russell, Reynoldsburg
The 5-foot-11-inch senior guard has committed to West Virginia. In her first season with Reynoldsburg last fall after spending her first two seasons at Dublin Coffman, Russell averaged 20.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while helping the Raiders win a district title and finish 16-5.
8. Jenna Kopyar, Dublin Coffman
While helping Coffman finish 23-2 and earn a Division I regional runner-up finish last season, the 5-10 junior guard averaged 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals. She was first first-team all-occcentral Division, first-team all-district and second-team all-state.
12. Gia Casalinova, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
The 5-8 junior starred on a team that went 22-5 and finished Principals Athletic Conference-7 co-champs with Northwest. She averaged 17.9 points and four rebounds per game while shooting 58.1% from the field, 41.8% on 3-pointers.
16. Emma Dretke, Massillon Jackson
A four-year starter, the 6-foot senior averaged 16.8 points per game, earning first-team Allfederal League each of her first three years and all-district each year. She signed with Walsh.
20. Breezie Williams, Canton Glenoak
The 5-5 senior averaged 12.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4 steals per game and shot 48% inside the arch and 32% outside it. She verbally committed to New Hampshire.
5. Mya Perry, Reynoldsburg
An Ohio State signee and 5-11 senior forward, Perry averaged 15.3 points and shot 50.1% from the floor, including 43.9% from 3point range last season.
9. Maddie Vejsicky, Newark
She nearly went down in Ohio lore as her gamewinning 3-point attempt rimmed out at the buzzer of Newark’s 57-55 double-overtime loss to Mount Notre Dame in last season’s Division I state final. The 6-foot Virginia Tech signee hit a school-record 10 3pointers in the district championship victory against Watkins Memorial. .
13. Sarah Ochs, Carroll
Ochs has helped lead the Patriots to a 77-11 record and three consecutive regional championships. She was second-team All-ohio last season and first-team all-district after averaging 14.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, two assists and 2.6 steals per game.
17. Ajia Schreffler, New Philadelphia
The 5-10 senior forward averaged 15.2 points and 9.5 rebounds and shot 60% from the field as she named second-team All-ohio. She recorded 17 double-doubles.
21. Catara Dejarnette, Chagrin Falls Kenston
The senior averaged 19.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 3.6 assists per game and was named second-team All-ohio as a junior.
2. Chance Gray, Winton Woods
The Oregon signee was a three-time first-team Greater Miami Conference selection at Lakota West, where she eclipsed 1,500 career points and nearly 400 rebounds. She has been named first-team All-ohio in back-to-back seasons and was third-team All-ohio as a freshman in 2019. Gray led the GMC in scoring (25 points per game) and assists (3.7) last season. Gray transferred to Winton Woods for her final prep season.
6. Lanae Riley, Akron Hoban
The 5-11 senior was codistrict Northeast Inland Player of the Year after guiding Hoban to a Division I regional championship and final four appearance. She averaged 22 points, nine rebounds and two steals per game and had 51 points and 30 rebounds in two regional tournament wins combined. She signed with Middle Tennessee State.
10. Faith Stinson, Sheridan
The 6-1 senior is a twotime first-team All-ohioan. Last season, she averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks per game and was named the Southeast District player of the year.
14. Rylee Leonard, Eastern Brown
The junior has helped lead Eastern Brown to back-to-back 24-3 seasons and district championships. She averaged 20.4 points per game last season and was named firstteam All-ohio.
18. Cameron Zinn, Mcarthur Vinton County
The 5-11 senior was a second-team All-ohioan. She averaged 12.3 points and 10.1 rebounds last season.
22. Claudia Pifher, Buckeye Central
The 5-8 senior guard averaged 18.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 2.4 assists and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 43% from 3-point range and 59% from the field. She committed to Ohio Dominican.