DAYTON, Ohio — Ohio’s Ms. Basketball showed why she earned the award as a sophomore, as Dee Alexander led Purcell Marian back to the state championship game, in a 61-47 Cavaliers win.

What You Need To Know

  • Purcell Marian will play for a second straight OHSAA girls basketball championship, defeating Bryan, 61-47, in a semifinal.

  • The Cavaliers will get the winner of Fairland vs. Northwest in Saturday's championship game.

  • Ohio Ms. Basketball Dee Alexander had a game-high 34 points.

Alexander had 34 points, just five short of the Division II semifinal record, on 12 of 16 shooting, and added eight rebounds. Back in 1983, Jane Phend from Chagrin Falls scored 39 against Reading for the Division II semifinal mark.

Both teams started slow and tentative, with the game’s first points coming with 5:01 left in the first quarter, when Purcell Marian’s Trinity Small connected on a 3-point shot. Bryan didn’t get on the scoreboard until 3:57 remained in the opening frame.

The Golden Bears flustered the defending Division III state champions (Purcell Marian moved up a division this year) early with strong defense, double-teaming Alexander, before the Cavaliers found a way to get their star forward involved.

Things really picked up in the second quarter. Ella Rau’s 3-pointer capped a 12-0 run for the Golden Bears, and a 25-14 lead. However, the Cavs countered with a dozen straight points of their own, to take a 26-25 lead at half.

That momentum continued after the break, part of a 21-2 run that put Purcell Marian up 35-27, and Bryan didn’t get closer than five points after that.

The Cavaliers got to the free throw line 27 times, converting 21, while The Golden Bears was just five of 10.

Bryan was led by Ella Voigt and Ella Rau, who scored 11 points each, and got 10 from Reese Grothaus.

Although the loss was disappointing, it caps the most memorable season in school history, as the Golden Bears reached the state tournament for the first time, after capturing their first district title since 1984.

Purcell Marian will face Northwest on Saturday at 10:45 a.m. in the Division II championship game.

The game will be live on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App, with OHSAA Championship Gameday coverage beginning at 10:30 a.m.