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Top central Ohio high school girls basketball players celebrate on National Signing Day
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- Top central Ohio high school girls basketball players celebrate on National Signing Day
Some of central Ohio's top girls basketball seniors were among those who finalized their college commitments Nov. 12, the first day of the early signing period.
Olentangy's Whitney Stafford (Kent State) and Pickerington Central's Blossom Wallace (Ohio University) and London Johnson (Dayton) will stay in the state at the next level, while Upper Arlington's Elizabeth Hunt will play at Marshall.
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The early signing period ends Nov. 19.
Pickerington Central's girls basketball team, including senior forward Blossom Wallace, will try to repeat as Division I state champions.
Pickerington Central's Wallace follows in sister's footsteps
As a perennial power, the defending Division I state champion Tigers are no strangers to National Signing Day.
"I'm excited and happy to see where my new chapter will go," Wallace said. "I want to get to know my (college) coaches. ... I really like the (Ohio) coaching staff and the girls on the team. Their style of play really fits how I play."
The 6-foot-1 Wallace will join her sister, Berry, at the next level. Berry Wallace, a 2024 graduate of Central, is a sophomore forward at Illinois.
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"It's exciting," Blossom said. "She's playing really well now, so I'm really happy for her."
Blossom signed with the Bobcats a day after earning first-team all-state recognition in soccer. She scored a program-record 38 goals this season and also was named first-team all-district and OCC-Buckeye Player of the Year.
"I played soccer my whole life," she said. "I quit club in eighth grade to focus on basketball. I played high school (soccer) all four years just for fun. I was always going to play basketball (in college)."
Johnson, a 6-0 forward who moved in from Canal Winchester before her junior year, was first-team all-league, second-team all-district and special mention all-state last season.
Upper Arlington senior Elizabeth Hunt (center front) poses with teammates from the school's girls basketball program during a college signing ceremony Nov. 12. Hunt will play at Marshall.
Hunt hopes for another strong season at Upper Arlington
Hunt, a 6-0 forward, was one of 33 student-athletes to participate in UA's signing ceremony Nov. 12.
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She was thankful that family and friends could share in her experience of signing with Marshall.
"I've worked really hard for this, but I'm also really grateful for all the people in my life that made it possible," she said.
Hunt averaged 18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.6 assists last season, earning OCC-Central Player of the Year and first-team all-state and all-district honors as UA reached a Division I regional semifinal .
"We have a lot to accomplish this season and now that this (signing) is complete, over with, we can focus on everything that we need to do this season and win a state championship," she said.
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Hunt will be a four-year starter this winter.
"Elizabeth has stepped in since day one," UA coach John Wanke said. "We had a summer league game, we gave her an opportunity and she seized that opportunity and ran with it."
Olentangy senior point guard Whitney Stafford poses for a photo with coach Klarke Ransome on Nov. 12 during a signing ceremony at the school. Stafford will play at Kent State.
Olentangy's Stafford feeling grateful for chance at Kent State
Stafford, a 5-8 point guard, admits she's been labeled a gym rat. All of her work, however, continues to pay dividends.
"I've been in the gym since I was probably in kindergarten," the Kent State signee said at a ceremony Nov. 12 at Olentangy. "It's always been in the back of my head. Once I hit middle school, I thought this could be reality for me. I just had to work towards it and now I'm here, so I'm grateful for it all. I've spent a lot of time in the gym."
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Stafford, who will be a four-year starter, has led Olentangy to back-to-back Division I district titles. Last season, she averaged 15.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 steals as the Braves (20-4) were a regional runner-up. She was named OCC-Cardinal Player of the Year and first-team all-state and all-district.
"I couldn't sleep last night because I was so excited for this," she said. "When I first committed, I was so excited for this and (being able) to share it with all the other athletes. I have most of my friends here also signing for different sports, so it's really fun being with them."
Olentangy coach Klarke Ransome continues to be impressed with Stafford's dedication.
"She works extremely hard," Ransome said. "Everything that she's been able to accomplish is extremely well deserved, and I know she's going to continue doing those things in the next handful of years, here this year and then at Kent State in the future."
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High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be reached at fdirenna@dispatch.com and at @DispatchFrank on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OHSAA girls basketball players celebrate National Signing Day
