Alter High School Senior guard, Emma Hansley, in the OHSAA championship game against Sheridan.
A LT E R & P U R C E L L M A R I A N
Queens of the Court W I N S TAT E I N G I R L S’ B A S K E T B A L L STORY BY JOHN STEGEMAN • PHOTOS BY JEFF UNROE
By the time Archbishop Alter and Purcell Marian high schools reached their respective girls basketball state tournament finals on March 12, they were ready to make a statement. In Division II, Alter left no doubt with a 5438 victory over Thornville Sheridan, while in Division III, Purcell Marian dispatched Worthington Christian 62-38. Alter’s state championship, the school’s fifth, relied on three seniors’ leadership, standout sophomore Riley Smith, and a team-first attitude. “They were a unique group nowadays in that they were very selfless,” said Christina Hart, Alter cocoach with Kendal Peck. “They played hard every night for one another, which is very unusual. It made it really a fun experience for everyone and allowed us to really be a team.” Hart said the team also excelled academically this year, living up to the high standards of Alter’s Catholic education.
“Almost all of them grew up in the Catholic feeder schools,” she said. “They’re well rounded and they’re very motivated to achieve that kind of success.” This year’s state championship games were played at the University of Dayton’s UD Arena, just six miles from Alter’s campus. Alter fans made good use of the short drive. “The support of everyone at school and the community, especially Alter’s alumni, made it so special,” said Smith, whose performance earned a spot on the All-Ohio third team. “The support during tournament time really showed how special Alter is. You could tell they wanted us to win, and they would be there every step of the way.” For Purcell Marian, this was their first girls basketball state championship, thanks in part to freshman phenom Dee Alexander. The 6-foot-1 underclassmen averaged 24.5 G R A D U A T IO N / M AY 2022 | 43
