The Greater Cincinnati girls basketball scene is rife with senior talent.
Over the past couple years, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have seen hardwood heroes graduate and go on to attend Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Kentucky, Marshall, Northern Kentucky, Ohio State and Texas A&M. This year’s class has several high-profile recruits. Some are already committed while others are mulling their offers.
Here are the best seniors that will put on a show in gyms across the tri-state this winter.
Dee Alexander, Purcell Marian
The University of Cincinnati commit has a chance to achieve things during her senior year that not many players in OHSAA history have done.
Her self-proclaimed plan coming into high school was to win four state titles in four years; the Cavaliers are 75 percent of the way to that goal. They’ll be dominant once again this year as they move back down to Division III. Alexander is also on track to become the second player in OHSAA history to win three Miss Basketball awards.
She is coming off a season in which she averaged 18.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 assists and won every player of the year award from the Miami Valley Conference up to the Gatorade and MaxPreps Ohio statewide awards.
Kailee Bransford, Mount Notre Dame
The Cougars were on the brink of another state tournament appearance last year and will be at the forefront of the Southwest regional conversation again this season.
Bransford led MND last year with 12.2 points per game and 2.5 assists per game. The Cougars’ talent is so spread out that she doesn’t need the ball in her hands every time down the floor. But being the younger sister of two-time Miss Basketball K.K. Bransford, she often makes the smart play. In the 2023 district championship, she made a buzzer-beating layup to knock off previously undefeated Talawanda.
Aniyah Carter and Aumani Nelson, Holy Cross
Even after graduating Aaliyah Hayes, Julia Hunt and Miyah Wimzie, the Indians should continue to play the hectic, in-your-face defense they have come to be known for.
Carter and Nelson will lead that effort. Carter is a whirlwind on both ends of the floor. Her size and speed make her a pest on defense, while she leads fast breaks and can squeeze between any double team on offense.
Nelson is the top returning forward and will be partly responsible for replacing Hunt’s production. Her performance against Pikeville in the All “A” state championship game was crucial to the Indians’ victory, and she scored 20 points in a 35th District championship victory.
Gracie Cosgrove, Badin
A pure shooter if there ever was one. A volume shooter if there ever was one.
Cosgrove was second in the Greater Catholic League-Coed in scoring as a junior at 16.3 points per game. She was also second in three-point percentage (37 percent), but easily had the most triples (95) of anyone in the league.
She isn’t just a top-level scorer. Cosgrove has the length to disrupt passing lanes on defense and keeps the ball on a string when it’s in her hands. The Rams play an up-tempo, spread-out offense, a scheme that Cosgrove fits into perfectly.
Caroline Eaglin, Newport Central Catholic
She was in the top-20 in the state in scoring as a junior (21.9 points per game) and as a sophomore (24.8 points) and has scored 1,807 career points.
NCC will be looking to get back to the regional tournament after a disappointing end to the 2024 season. Eaglin is one of the most consistent scorers in the region but will need help from the rest of the roster. A completely new coaching staff this winter should bring an exciting look to the Thoroughbreds.
Mari Gerton, Princeton
She led the city in scoring last year at 21.6 points per game.
Gerton only shot 29.5 percent from deep last year but can get hot in a hurry. She has a smooth stroke to knock down jumpers and the shifty moves to get to the basket in traffic and in transition.
With the ball in her hand, Gerton is extremely effective. Fellow seniors Saniya Carr and Kali Forston will keep Princeton at the top of the Greater Miami Conference and in contention for a second regional title in three years.
Sophia Gibson, Notre Dame
The Pandas went 19-11 in the 2022-2023 season with four sophomore starters. Last year, they improved to 21-10 as everyone had another year of experience.
Behind Gibson, Notre Dame will be a serious Ninth Region contender this season. She is one of a number of uber-talented forwards in Northern Kentucky. Her 13.1 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game led the team while her paint presence on both ends of the floor puts her at the top of any team’s scouting report.
Gibson doesn’t just have a high basketball IQ. Her hard work in the classroom paid off with a recent commitment to Yale.
Marissa Green, Highlands
The Bluebirds will be a frontrunner to win this season’s Ninth Region tournament; it would be their first since 2001. Green will be a big factor in that title chase.
She nearly averaged a double-double as a junior, scoring 15.6 points and grabbing nine rebounds per game. She also delivered one of the more exciting moments of the year, swishing a jumper with 2.4 seconds left to beat Notre Dame in the first round of the regional tournament.
Highlands’ core of Avery Barber, Katie Bucher, Saylor Macke, Kaylee Mills and Maren Orme are all a year older, but the addition of Withrow transfer Tyriana Berry could put the Bluebirds over the top this year. Having two seniors at 6-foot-4 or taller may remind fans of the Mike Phillips and Rick Robey “twin towers” seasons at the University of Kentucky.
Lanie Lipps, Ross
Lipps is one of the most entertaining point guards in Greater Cincinnati.
At 5-foot-4, she has quick feet and hands. She gets her shot up as fast as Steph Curry and has mastered both the catch-and-shoot and pulling up off the dribble. It’s no wonder she set Ross’ career three-point field goal record as a junior.
When she’s not shooting off the dribble, she zips passes across the court with the best of them. She averaged 2.9 assists and 3.7 steals per game as a junior.
Bryn Martin, Springboro
Toward the end of the 2023-2024 season, I started hearing comparisons between Martin and Caitlin Clark. Honestly, it’s a valid discussion.
Martin is an elite scorer at all three levels, exhibiting in-the-gym range as well as the ability to get to the basket just about whenever she wants. When she isn’t hitting big shots, she’s creating them for her teammates.
She led the Greater Western Ohio Conference with 21.6 points per game, was second with 4.2 assists per game, and contributed 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals. To end the year, she set the DI state tournament single-game scoring record with 38 points against Pickerington Central.
Braylyn Mattox and Jordan Mueller, Lebanon
The Warriors were in the thick of the Eastern Cincinnati Conference race last season before Mueller’s season ended prematurely with a knee injury.
Mattox and Mueller are two of the four Lebanon guards that averaged at least seven points last year (Ellie Horst and Alexa Nisonger are the other two). All four are seniors this year, meaning the Warriors will have depth on the wings and the speed to push their opponents’ tempo.
Mattox and Nisonger led Lebanon in rebounding last year wile Mueller is the top returning passer, dishing 3.2 assists per game as a junior.
Madison Parrish, Mason
Parrish is a flat out bucket-getter who isn’t afraid of the big moments. She scored 20 points in wins over Mount Notre Dame and Princeton last year, then led the Comets to a comeback win over Lakota East to clinch the GMC title.
Mason graduated Riley Yost this year, its only key player over six feet tall. The Comets’ height this season will be a concern. Parrish and junior Anna Habra are both toughness personified, and will ensure Mason competes in every game.
Alli Robertson, Harrison
She is Harrison’s all-time leading scorer, boys or girls. That’s almost all that needs to be said.
Robertson has led the Southwestern Ohio Conference in scoring the past two years, but she’s also averaged a double-double since she was a sophomore. She is listed as a forward and certainly has the size to create opportunities in the post but can also shoot the deep ball if necessary. She shot 28 percent from three-point range last year but made multiple triples in nine games.
Violet Shuluga, Milford
The Eagles should continue to rise up the ECC rankings thanks to an exciting roster.
Shuluga led the team last winter with 14.3 points, six rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She should at least match those numbers this season as she takes on the main leadership role for Milford.
The Eagles graduated three of their top six scorers, which means contributions from fellow senior Lizzie Fight and sophomore Gabby Chadwell will be all the more important.
Braylin Terrell, Walton-Verona
She emerged last season as one of the best shot blockers in Northern Kentucky. Her presence in the paint was enough to deter opponents from taking high percentage shots while her length helped the Bearcats transition from defense to offense.
Terrell also developed offensively, nearly doubling her scoring output from 6.4 points per game as a sophomore to 11.6 as a junior. She rounded out her double-double average with 10 rebounds per game. She isn’t an old school back-to-the-basket post player, either. Her lateral quickness can draw multiple defenders and open up all areas of the floor.
The Bearcats made five consecutive Eighth Region tournaments from 2018 to 2022. With a core that includes Terrell, Campbell Christy and Elin Logue, they have a good chance to get back this year.
Daniah Trammell, Winton Woods
She led the Warriors to their second ECC title in three years. If she can match, or at least put up similar numbers to her 16.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game as a junior, Winton Woods will be in good shape to go back-to-back.
Trammell slots in as a forward for the Warriors. She may not be as tall as some of her counterparts in Southwest Ohio, but that doesn’t stop her from approaching every matchup with a winning mentality. She is simply a player that will do whatever it takes to win.