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Westerville South's Ariyana Cradle named finalist for Ohio Ms. Basketball
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- Westerville South's Ariyana Cradle named finalist for Ohio Ms. Basketball
Westerville South junior guard Ariyana Cradle, who led her team to within a win of the Division II state tournament, was announced Wednesday as one of eight finalists for Ms. Basketball by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association.
The 5-foot-8 Cradle, who was announced earlier Wednesday as the Division II district Player of the Year , averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 2.4 assists with 44 3-pointers for the Wildcats (21-6).
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South lost to OCC-Capital rival Big Walnut 62-53 in a regional final Saturday .
Westerville South's Ariyana Cradle drives to the basket while Big Walnut's Remy Largent defends during a Jan. 24 game.
Cincinnati Purcell Marian senior guard Dee Alexander is seeking her third consecutive Ms. Basketball award. She has signed to play at Cincinnati and will be in the McDonald's All-American Game in April.
The other finalists are Whitehouse Anthony Wayne's Elise Bender, Streetsboro's Naomi Benson, Springboro's Bryn Martin , Lyndhurst Brush's Tatiana Mason, Strasburg-Franklin's Riley Thomas and Joplin Yoder of Berlin Hiland.
All are seniors with the exception of Cradle and Mason, a sophomore.
Central Ohio has not had a Ms. Basketball winner since Brookhaven's Brittany Hunter in 2003. The only other area players to win the award were Pickerington's LaToya Turner in 1999 and Pickerington's Beth Ostendorf in 1995.
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The winner will be announced March 12.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Ms. Basketball finalists: Westerville South's Cradle makes list
