MaxPreps 2013-14 Ohio preseason girls basketball Fab 5

Click here to see the girls basketball preseason Fab 5 from every state

1. Fairmont (Kettering)
Coach: Lacy Romine
2012-13 finish: 27-1 and reached the Division I state final for the third-straight year dethroning two-time defending state champion Twinsburg, 52-48, for Fairmont’s first girls basketball state title.
 
There are a lot of expectations surrounding the defending state champs. The Firebirds are ranked No. 8 nationally by MaxPreps and return 10 players, including seven seniors, led by Notre Dame-bound Kathryn Westbeld (6-2, Sr., F) and Ohio State-bound Makayla Waterman (6-2, Sr., F), who both averaged 15.0 ppg. Joining them will be Danie Shafer (5-7, Sr., G). New coach Lacy Romine is ready for the challenge, “This veteran team knows what it means to win, and they will not settle until all of their goals are reached.”
 
2. Notre Dame Academy (Toledo)
Coach: Travis Galloway
2012-13 finish: 25-3 and lost to eventual Division I state champion Fairmont, 37-31, in the state semifinals
 
If there is a team that could challenge nationally ranked Fairmont, it could be the Eagles, who started three sophomores last year in reaching the state semifinals. Notre Dame will be led by senior Jayde Worthy (5-11, Sr., F). The Radford-bound Worthy averaged 13.5 ppg and 7.1 rpg last year. She’ll be joined by Tierra Flloyd (6-0, Jr., F), who averaged 10.9 ppg and 7.4 rpg and towering Kaayla Mcintyre (6-3, Jr., F), who averaged 12.6 ppg during the regular season. More importantly, McIntyre showed she can play well under the spotlight, playing very well in last year’s state semifinals against Fairmont, scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
 
3. Wadsworth
Coach: Andrew Booth
2012-13 finish: 25-3 and lost to Notre Dame Toledo, 43-39, in the state quarterfinals
 
The Grizzles return four letter winners: New Hampshire-bound Payton Booth (5-10, Sr., F), Coach Booth’s daughter, Mercyhurst-bound Hannah Centea (5-6, Sr., G), Madison Gilger (5-11, Sr., C) and Jodi Johnson (5-10, So., F). Coach Booth has experienced core back that goes around nine or 10 deep and he sees this team going possibly a step further this season in the state playoffs. Wadsworth last won the state title in 1997, and the Grizzles have been there to the state title game four times.
 
4. Princeton (Cincinnati)
Coach: Jill Phillips
2012-13 finish: 19-8 and lost to state quarterfinalist Centerville, 71-61, in the Region 4 semifinals
 
The Vikings return four of five starters from a team that reached the Division I Region 4 semifinals, including arguably the nation’s best point guard in Ohio State-commit Keisey Mitchell (5-8, Sr., G), who averaged 23.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game last year. She’s 212 points shy of breaking the Princeton all-time career points mark (1,479). Kelsey will be joined by her twin sister, Chelsea Mitchell (5-11, Sr., G), another Ohio State commit who averaged 9.9 ppg. Carlie Pogue (6-0, Sr., C) had 13 double-doubles and averaged 11.4 ppg and 2.1 blocked shots a game. Jasmyn Hardin (5-9, Sr., F) was second on the Vikings with 8.5 rpg. The Vikings’ uptempo offense outscored their opponents by an average of 10.5 points a game last season.   
 
5. Reynoldsburg
Coach: Jack Purtell
2012-13 finish: 24-2 and lost to state quarterfinalists North Canton Hoover, 51-49, in the Region 3 semifinals
 
The Raiders return one of the best post players in the nation in Kentucky-bound Alyssa Rice (6-3, Sr., C). She led the Raiders in scoring (15 ppg) and rebounding (10 rpg). The Raiders also have back Nicole Orr (5-10, Sr., G), a Butler commit who averaged 11 ppg last year. Two other starters back include De'shay Thomas (5-6, Sr., G) and Courtney Purtell (5-10, Jr., F), coach Jack Purtell’s daughter. Coach Purtell’s feels his team has great potential, with young players settling into new roles. The Raiders made it to the state Final Four twice in the last four years and are four-time Central District champions.