CLEVELAND — When Cleveland plays host to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four this weekend, a trio of players will return to their home state of Ohio to play in one of the biggest games of their careers.
For South Carolina’s Bree Hall and Sakima Walker, as well as Iowa’s Gabbie Marshall, who are Ohio natives, this year's Final Four will be even more special as they play in Cleveland.
Here’s a look at the Ohio natives taking the court at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, April 5.
Gabbie Marshall: Iowa Guard
As a fifth-year senior, Gabbie Marshall is one of the longest-standing members of this accomplished Iowa Hawkeyes team. The scrappy veteran guard spent her high school basketball career staring at Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati.
The starting Guard for Iowa is averaging 6.1 points per game heading into the Final Four and has tallied 44 rebounds, 40 steals and 60 assists on the season. Marshall also is the first Iowa women's basketball player to record over 200 3-pointers and 200 steals in her career.
Athleticism runs in Marshall's family as her dad played basketball at Bellarmine University, and her mom played for Aquinas College.
Bree Hall: South Carolina Guard
The 6-foot junior from Dayton has cemented her name in Wayne High School’s history as their all-time leading scorer. Now, Hall will return to her home state with a chance to make history as South Carolina heads into the Final Four with a 36-0 record.
The 2021 Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Miss Basketball told 3News on Tuesday that being back in Ohio "feels amazing."
"I was on the bus just looking around, like, 'wow. I'm back in my home state.'"
Hall has started in 35 games for the Gamecocks this season, averaging 9.5 points per game and 3 rebounds. Hall is sure to make an impact for the University of South Carolina on Friday night in her home state.
Sakima Walker: South Carolina Center
Walker hails from Columbus, where she attended Africentric Early College High School. During her high school career, she led her team to back-to-back Division III Ohio state championships in 2019 and 2020.
After graduating, Walker started her college career at Rutgers, playing in 32 games over two seasons. She then transferred to Northwest Florida State, where she led the team to the NJCAA National Championship.
During the 2023-24 season, Walker has appeared in 30 games for the Gamecocks, scoring 61 points and grabbing 39 rebounds.
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