Here are 12 Columbus-area high school girls basketball players to watch in 2023-24 season
Two players from defending Division III state champion Africentric highlight our 12 central Ohio girls basketball players to watch this winter.
Harper Annarino, Granville
The 6-foot senior and University of Charleston signee can play virtually anywhere on the floor for the Blue Aces, who before last season had not reached a Division II regional final in 29 years. Annarino averaged 15.9 points and 7.1 rebounds and was named second-team all-state last winter, leading Granville to a 25-3 campaign.
Gigi Bower, Olentangy Liberty
A 5-9 senior guard, Bower looks to build on a junior season that saw her average 15.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.8 assists to lead the Patriots (23-3) to a Division I district final. Bower was OCC-Central Player of the Year and first-team all-district.
Emily Bratton, Bloom-Carroll
The Bulldogs’ 5-7 senior point guard averaged 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.9 steals last season to guide her team (14-10) to a Division II district semifinal. The Miami University signee earned MSL-Buckeye and district Player of the Year honors and was first-team all-state.
Ellie Bruce, Fisher Catholic
A 6-2 senior forward, Bruce’s 16.6 points and 10.0 rebounds helped lead the Irish (21-6) to their first Division IV district championship since 2008 and a regional semifinal appearance. Bruce, a Hillsdale signee, was named first-team all-district and second-team all-state.
Ariyana Cradle, Westerville South
This 5-8 guard is considered one of the top sophomores in the state. Last winter, she averaged 15.4 points and was first-team all-OCC-Capital, second-team all-district and special mention all-state in Division I. She helped lead the Wildcats to a 24-3 season that included an undefeated league title (14-0).
JoJo Eberhart, Marysville
The 5-11 senior guard was the driving force behind the Monarchs’ first district championship and Division I regional runner-up finish to cap a 25-3 season. Eberhart, who is not playing in college, averaged 10.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals — all team highs — and 3.6 assists. She was named OCC-Cardinal Player of the Year and first-team all-district and all-state.
2023-24 preview: Top-tier talent to drive Africentric, Pickerington Central, Marysville
Kamryn Grant, Africentric
The 6-1 senior can fill every position as needed, coach Janicia Anderson said, and her return should only strengthen the Nubians. Grant, who has signed with Dayton, averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds as a sophomore but tore her right ACL in the second game of last season.
London Johnson, Canal Winchester
The 6-0 sophomore guard/forward helped lead the Indians to an 18-4 record that included an 11-3 mark in the OCC-Capital a season ago. She was first-team all-league and honorable mention all-district in Division I. Johnson scored 28 points in Canal Winchester's 57-45 season-opening win against Hilliard Darby on Tuesday.
Gianna Lane, Hilliard Darby
A transfer from Tree of Life before her sophomore season, this 5-7 junior guard averaged 15 points, six rebounds and three assists last winter to help lead Darby to a 17-6 record. She was first-team all-OCC-Cardinal, third-team all-district and honorable mention all-state in Division I.
Natiah Nelson, Africentric
A 5-10 senior guard/forward, Nelson became the Nubians’ leader after Grant’s injury and averaged 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds. A DePaul signee and one of four returning starters, Nelson earned first-team all-state in Division III as Africentric (24-4) won its first state title since 2019 and eighth overall.
Whitney Stafford, Olentangy
The 5-8 sophomore plays both point and shooting guard for the Braves, and is coming off a season in which she averaged 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.7 assists. Stafford, who already has offers from Kent State and Toledo, earned first-team all-OCC-Cardinal and honorable mention all-district in Division I.
Berry Wallace, Pickerington Central
A 6-1 senior forward/center and Illinois signee, Wallace averaged 14.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists last winter to lead the Tigers (24-5) to an eighth consecutive Division I district championship and first state semifinal since 2019. The first-team all-state honoree is ranked 20th nationally for her class by ESPNW.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 12 central Ohio girls basketball players to watch in 2023-24
