Ohio Ms. Basketball Finalists Announced by OPSWA

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Ohio Ms. Basketball Finalists Announced by OPSWA
OPSWA members voting now through noon Monday; winner announced Wednesday, March 8

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association has announced the finalists for the 2023 Ohio Ms. Basketball Award. The winner will be announced next Wednesday, March 8.

Voting is currently underway for the 216 registered OPSWA members and will end at noon on Monday, March 6.

The voting process is nearly identical to that used to determine the Heisman Trophy winner in college football. First place votes get three points, second-place votes get two points and third-place votes get one point.

Ohio’s Ms. Basketball was selected by the Associated Press from 1987-2016. Since 2017 it has been presented by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.

The OPSWA All-Ohio teams will begin being released on Monday, March 20.

2023 Ohio Ms. Basketball Finalists
Finalists listed in alphabetical order.
OPSWA membership voting ends at noon Monday, March 6.
Winner announced Wednesday, March 8.

Dee Alexander, 6-1, sophomore forward, Purcell Marian
District 16 and MVC Player of the Year. 26.2 ppg, 10.1 reb, 2.6 ast, 2.4 stl. Led the Miami Valley Conference in points per game, field-goal percentage (57.8) and steals (3.9) this year. Has 12 double-doubles and scored a season-high 42 points in a loss to Sacred Heart, the No. 1 ranked team in Kentucky. Has scored 1,265 career points heading into the regionals. Was OPSWA D-III State Player of the Year as a freshman and a MaxPreps Freshman All-American when leading P-M to state title. Is ranked as the No. 2 player in the Class of 2025. Holds 30 scholarship offers, including Kentucky, Iowa, Southern California, Baylor and Arizona.

Sinai Douglass, Toledo Start, 5-4, jr. G
A 5-foot-4 junior point guard, Douglas averaged 16.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 5.3 steals per game for a Spartans team that finished 21-3 and with a No. 10 ranking in the final Associated Press state poll. Douglas was also an All-Ohio first team selection in 2021-22 as a sophomore, and is now a two-time Toledo City League and Northwest District Player of the Year. She has full-ride offers to Iowa, Toledo, Bowling Green and Xavier among others.

Madison Greene, Pickerington Central, 5-7, sr. G.
A Vanderbilt signee, Greene is considered the top player on a top-seeded 22-4 team that won an eighth consecutive district championship. Entering regional play she was averaging 15.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 4.0 steals while shooting 42 percent from the field (32 percent from three-point range).

Saniyah Hall, Shaker Heights Laurel, 6-0, fr.,
20.8 ppg: NE Lakes District POY in Division III. Ranked as one of the top 9th-graders in the nation, she has the size of a post player but the skills of a guard. In compiling a 14-6 record, Laurel faced the most difficult schedule of any team in any division, according to MaxPreps and the Martin RPI website. While facing that schedule, the 14-year-old also averaged 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 steals, 2.6 assists and 1.6 blocks per game and shot 53% from the floor.

Rylee Sagester, New Madison Tri-Village, 5-6 Sr.
21.7 ppg, 4.2 ast, 2.4 stl, 51% FG, 41.9% 3pt, 78% FT (WOAC POY) 3x First Team AP Southwest District (POY in 2022).1st Team All Ohio in 2022, 2nd Team All Ohio in 2020, and 3rd Team All Ohio in 2021. WOAC POY in 2022 and 2023. District 9 Division 4 POY 2023. Voted to the Ohio North/South All Star Game. Has currently scored 1851 career points. School record holder for made 3s in a career with 370 (broke state record).

Corri Vermilya, Loudonville, 5-9, jr.
Averaged 29.5 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, 6.5 SPG for league champion and district semifinalist … Scored 59 in a 71-68 win over OCC co-champ Mansfield Senior … Three 40+ performances … Ashland U commit … Mid-Buckeye Conference Player of the Year, District 4 Player of the Year.

Reagan Vinskovich, Belmont Union Local, 6-2, Senior
22.4 ppg, 12 rbpg, 3 apg, 2,5 spg; 57% FG; 66%FT; 2,000-plus career points, 1,000-plus career rebounds; 4-time 1st team all-Eastern District; 4-time 1st team all-OVAC; OHSBCA North-South All-Star Game selection; OVAC All-Star Game selection; Team is D-III Sectional/District champion and 25-1 as of this submission; Team won OVAC Class 3A title (she was MVP; won Buckeye 8 title; 3rd team all-Ohio as junior (avg 16 pts/9rb); 2nd team all-Ohio as sophomore (avg 22 pts/12 rb); 2nd team all-Ohio as freshman (avg 19.5 pts/11.6 rb); Team reached D-III ‘Final Four’ in 2002 (25-4); is 25-1 this season (thru district);Academic All-OVAC; Going to West Liberty University (D-II)

Information about the OPSWA is available at: https://www.ohsaa.org/news/OPSWA

Past Ohio Ms. Basketball Ohio winners
2022 – KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior
2021 – KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, junior
2020 – Madeline Westbeld, Kettering Fairmont, senior
2019 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, senior
2018 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, junior
2017 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, sophomore
2016 – Jensen Caretti, Hannibal River, senior
2015 – Hallie Thome, Chagrin Falls, senior
2014 – Kelsey Mitchell, Cin. Princeton, senior
2013 – Ashley Morrissette, Twinsburg, senior
2012 – Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley, senior
2011 – Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley, junior
2010 – Natasha Howard, Tol. Waite, senior
2009 – Kendall Hackney, Cin. Mount Notre Dame, senior
2008 – Amber Gray, West Chester Lakota West, senior
2007 – Jantel Lavender, Cleveland Central Catholic, senior
2006 – Tyra Grant, Youngstown Ursuline, senior
2005 – Maria Getty, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, senior
2004 – Mel Thomas, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior
2003 – Brittany Hunter, Columbus Brookhaven, senior
2002 – Barbara Turner, Cleveland East Tech, senior
2001 – Michelle Munoz, Mason, senior
2000 – Michelle Munoz, Mason, junior
1999 – (TIE) Kaayla Chones, Eastlake North, senior; LaToya Turner, Pickerington, senior
1998 – Tamika Williams, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, senior
1997 – Semeka Randall, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1996 – Semeka Randall, Garfield Hts. Trinity, junior
1995 – Beth Ostendorf, Pickerington, senior
1994 – Na’Sheema Hillmon, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1993 – Marlene Stollings, Beaver Eastern, senior
1992 – Katie Smith, Logan, senior
1991 – Vonda Ward, Garfield Hts. Trinity, senior
1990 – Vonda Ward, Garfield Hts. Trinity, junior
1989 – Carol Madsen, Reading, senior
1988 – Janet Haneberg, Cincinnati Seton, senior
 
 
No disrespect to Madison Greene, but if she's a finalist, Princeton's Sole Williams is, too.
 
I think it may be Dee Alexander and then everyone else - but what an outstanding honor for all of the regional nominees for this award. Congrats girls!
 
Does the girls game seem to have more of these multirun POY winners? Legit or is the process missing some of the best?
Looking at this from ainesworth, multiple year winning doesn't seem to predict long term performance. The first five all one year winners. Neither of the Canton McKinley multi-year winners showing up. Bell seems to be already out of basketball, that's a surprise. Nor is Munoz or Ward. Randel is the only one I'm seeing. Bransford is doing ok at ND. Miss any?

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As for this year's list, regardless of who wins (my bet is Alexander), it's impressive that a freshman and a sophomore made the final list. Also to those questioning the list, the process is more complicated than you might think... if you aren't your local best player, you can't win Ms Basketball
 
OutsideTheWire said:
Sagester is the Ohio 3pt Queen, numbers align with all of these outstanding student-athletes, committed to Marshall University. I think she has to be given respect in the final conversation.
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She should not have taken 23 threes vs a team that only scored a point in the game if she wants respect. I will be voting for Alexander but had Vinskovich as a close second.
 
D4fan said:
She should not have taken 23 threes vs a team that only scored a point in the game if she wants respect. I will be voting for Alexander but had Vinskovich as a close second.
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Vinskovich as a close second?

D4Fan - you have some great basketball over the years, but this surprises me.

I think before you go after the legitimacy of Sagester’s accomplishments - maybe you should let us know what Vinskovich’s standout performance was this year? Also - how many of those rebounds and points did she score when the games were well out of hand - let’s say her team up by 25+. She is no doubt a great player, but to say that she is anywhere close to Alexander is interesting .

Having seen all of these girls play this year and being relatively familiar with their resumes (not just what was listed in the OHSAA press release) - I would vote:
Dee Alexander
Rylee Sagester
Corri Vermilya

Not sure why previous accolades and career statistics are listed for some kids and not all of them - but that isn’t comparing apples to apples.

It also should be noted, as people mention Sole Williams - each “district” of media voting gets one player typically - as McGal correctly mentioned earlier. The writers in the Southwest District picked Alexander and Sagester over Williams for their nomination - it’s really that simple. It’s rare to nominate more than 1 from a region - because you are splitting votes.
 
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D4fan said:
She should not have taken 23 threes vs a team that only scored a point in the game if she wants respect. I will be voting for Alexander but had Vinskovich as a close second.
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.... I'm sure the last record holder played versus ONLY the top ranked teams during their entire career!
Talk to OHSAA about the tournament rules if you don't like it, that opponent never should have been there. Kid is supposed to stop playing so feelings don't get hurt? Kids are too soft as it is, the state already gives them a participation ribbon and let teams play in the tournament that don't deserve it.
 
MCGal said:
Whose rankings are those? And the two McK multi-year winners are doing just fine for the record... both playing professionally after standout college careers.
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I stated in the post whose list. Just some sight that made a list. I think they used pros so recent grads wouldn't be very high on the list. I'd looked up Bell, her wiki must need update. It said she bounced a bit in college. I think didn't stick with a WNBA? Hard to tell, those players so often have a US season and a foreign season. Where is she?
 
eastisbest said:
Does the girls game seem to have more of these multirun POY winners? Legit or is the process missing some of the best?
Looking at this from ainesworth, multiple year winning doesn't seem to predict long term performance. The first five all one year winners. Neither of the Canton McKinley multi-year winners showing up. Bell seems to be already out of basketball, that's a surprise. Nor is Munoz or Ward. Randel is the only one I'm seeing. Bransford is doing ok at ND. Miss any?

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Bell is playing professional basketball with the Las Vegas Aces....championship last year!!!!!
 
Still incredibly interesting that Williams deservedly wins Gatorade POY and wasn't even up for Ms Basketball.

Previous post:
"It also should be noted, as people mention Sole Williams - each “district” of media voting gets one player typically - as McGal correctly mentioned earlier. The writers in the Southwest District picked Alexander and Sagester over Williams for their nomination - it’s really that simple. It’s rare to nominate more than 1 from a region - because you are splitting votes."

Comment:
Is it typically or simple?
Is it 1 or more per Region/"district"?
Alexander AND Sagester make 2 from SW; not 1.

To all:
Alexander is a SOPHOMORE and a fantastic generational player; let her grow up and decide what/where she wants.
How would anyone know where she's going at this point.
She most likely doesn't know! SMH
 
eastisbest said:
I stated in the post whose list. Just some sight that made a list. I think they used pros so recent grads wouldn't be very high on the list. I'd looked up Bell, her wiki must need update. It said she bounced a bit in college. I think didn't stick with a WNBA? Hard to tell, those players so often have a US season and a foreign season. Where is she?
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She was with the Pro Vegas team that won the championship last season.She went to OSU for a few then to FGCU in Florida.
 
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