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presentS recruiting news and notes Morrissette Wins Award, Loses State BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com Morrissette Ashley back-to-backaalready had state championships, but third would have made her Ohio high school career even sweeter. But the Purdue signee and her Twinsburg High School teammates came up just short of the three-peat on Saturday, losing 52-48 to Fairmont — which it had beaten in the finals the previous two seasons — in the Division I (big school) championship at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center. The loss came in the last prep game of Morrissette's career, one of the best in Ohio girls' basketball history. The 5-foot-9 combo guard, who was named Ohio Ms. Basketball on Wednesday, became the tournament's second alltime leading scorer. In six postseason games this year, she totaled 110 points. But Saturday her 27 weren't enough to give Twinsburg the win in a game that wasn't decid- Twinsburg Bulletin Ashley Morrissette just missed winning her third-straight state title. ed until the final seconds. The Tigers were down 50-42 with only 51 seconds left, but back-to-back threes by Morrissette brought them to within two. But the rally ended, and Twinsburg lost its only game of the season. "Our kids knew whose hands the ball needed to be in," Twinsburg coach Julie Solis told Max- Preps.com. "That last effort by Ashley Morrissette was amazing. She deserved that award. Her ultimate goal was to finish the season 30-0, so I feel bad for her and the other seniors. These kids have nothing to be ashamed of." Though the loss might sting, Morrissette was likely happy to have garnered the state's top individual honor days earlier. Next season, she'll be the fifth Miss Basketball playing for the Boilermakers, joining KK Houser (Nebraska), Courtney Moses (Indiana), Hayden Hamby (Alabama) and Taylor Manuel (Missouri). "I'm just really excited for her," Coach Sharon Versyp said Friday. "She's worked exceptionally hard, their team has gone down to three state championships and she continues to excel (at) her game. I think it's just recognition by the state of how much work she has put in. I just think it's fantastic and we're really excited for her." During her senior season, Morrissette averaged 19.1 points, 6.5 assists, five rebounds and five steals per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 82 percent from the line. "She's used to winning and hates to lose," Versyp said. "And she's playing at a high class level that is constant competition, playing against the best day in and day out. I think that really bodes well. "I just like when things really pay off for kids who put in that extra time and extra work." j Buy Subaru and keep Indiana driving. Fort Wayne Subaru 5000 Illinois Road Fort Wayne, IN 47905 260-432-4567 www.fortwaynesubaru.com Bob Rohrman Subaru 1600 South Creasy Lane Lafayette, IN 47905 765-449-8100 www.bobrohrmansubaru.com GoldanDBlack express • volume 23, express 26 • 30