CLEVELAND — Laurel School’s Saniyah Hall was a freshman phenom last year. Now she’s a sophomore sensation. She’s a nominee for Ohio Ms. Basketball award for the second year in a row. She admits there is a little pressure to play at this high of a level.

What You Need To Know

  • Laurel School's Saniyah Hall has been nominated for Ms. Basketball for the second year in a row

  • Hall is already breaking school records 

  • Hall is only a sophomore

“Sometimes it can be nerve-racking," Hall said. "To be able to be out there and just showcase my talents."

ESPN has Saniyah ranked nationally as the third best player in her class. That’s gotten attention from major college coaches and from a lot of from defenses. She’s getting used to double teams whenever she has the ball.

“I feel like it’s a good thing because it basically says this girl’s good," Hall said. 

Head coach Terrina Robinson said she met Saniyah at a camp when she was in middle school. She saw the potential and said Saniyah was already six feet tall.

“She was doing turnaround jump shots, pull up jump shots," Robinson said. "Step backs. Just being able to find ways to be able to implement all those different things while being 13 at the time. That was just very impressive.”

“When she came to me, there was a lot of things going through my mind," Hall said. "Wondering if I should come here or not. What I can make here, what I can do here. What I can show. Everything like that. But it was a cool opportunity.”

It’s worked out. Saniyah has already broken the school’s single-game scoring record and is already in the thousand point club. She said she wants to graduate as the best baller in school history.

“I wanna leave a mark at Laurel," Hall said. "I felt like I have something here that I can leave behind and let everybody see in the future.”