Ohio Division III regional final: Purcell Marian's girls return to state behind 3-ball
SPRINGFIELD - For a third consecutive year, Purcell Marian High School's girls' basketball team played for a Division III regional final Saturday. For a second straight year, they cut down the nets and are still alive for a state title.
Though they played the Astros of East Clinton, it was Purcell Marian firing in long balls from all corners of the Springfield High School gym. The Cavaliers connected on 15 from 3-point range on their way to a 68-41 blitzing of the Southern Buckeye Conference National Division champs.
Freshmen Cy'Aira Miller connected on seven 3-pointers for a team-high 21 points, while sophomore Jayda Mosley and freshman Trinity Small had four apiece. Freshman Dee Alexander had her usual stat-filled game with 17 points. When she wasn't scoring she was finding the hot hands of her sharpshooting teammates.
"This group is so special," Purcell Marian coach Jamar Mosley said. "We've literally had six different girls score 20 or more points. We've had four different girls make five or more threes in a game. You've got to pick your poison any given game."
The Purcell Marian fans and band continued in celebration long after the final buzzer. After playing at the end of the game, the horns continued in the hallway and on out to the parking lot.
From last year's state semifinal squad, coach Mosley returned just one player in his rotation in sophomore Jayda Mosley. Senior Jermyrha Behanan comes off the bench. Beyond that, the Cavaliers roll with a Fab Four freshman class of Alexander, Small and twins Ky'Aira and Cy'Aira Miller.
No one told them it was a rebuilding year. Their only blemish has been an early December loss to an always-tough Summit Country Day team which plays in Division II. They avenged that loss in January and head to state with a 25-1 record, winners of 21 in a row.
"They just carry themselves with so much poise," Mosley said of his youthful squad. "They know they're capable of doing anything. Today, we knew it was going to be a hostile environment. They said, 'Coach, we're fine! We're going to take care of it.'"
They did and then some.
Purcell Marian pushed the pace in the first quarter and didn't necessarily rely on Alexander with her teammates knocking down threes. The Cavaliers had five treys and a 26-14 early lead. They also were able to get East Clinton top scorer Liby Evanshine in foul trouble early as she had to sit down after two and picked up a third less than a minute into the second quarter.
The trifecta train continued in the second quarter. By halftime, Purcell Marian had nailed nine from behind the arc.
At the end of the third frame, the game had gone to a running clock under OHSAA rules with Purcell Marian up by over 35 points. The fourth quarter was a formality as the celebration had already begun in the stands.
"It feels good to win something as a freshman," Alexander said. "I just believed in my teammates. I have to trust them when I'm passing the ball and they knocked down shots like they're supposed to."
East Clinton finishes 21-6. Junior Evanshine led the Astros with 15 points despite being limited by foul trouble.
Purcell Marian will play in the Division III state semifinal Thursday at noon at the University of Dayton Arena. Their opponent will be Belmont Union L, which got by Proctorville Fairland 69-67 Saturday. They are 24-3.
"It's going to be a heck of an experience for them," Mosley said of his Cavaliers. "I'm so proud and happy for these girls. They've left me speechless far too many times this year."
It could be the first of many state trips for Purcell Marian's knockdown ninth-graders.
"We've still got three more years ahead of us," Cy'Aira Miller said. "There's no telling what's going to happen."
EAST CLINTON 14 9 12 6 41
PURCELL MARIAN 26 20 22 0 68
EC Ton 1 0 2 Evanshine 6 3 15 Whiteaker 4 1 11 Runyon 1 0 2 Jones 1 0 2 Lilly 2 0 4 Murphy 1 2 5
PM Alexander 6 5 17 C. Miller 7 0 21 K. Miller 2 1 5 Mosley 4 1 13 Small 4 0 12
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Purcell Marian girls fire way past East Clinton to return to state
