Izzy Callaway leads Copley into OHSAA state semifinal against 2-time champ Purcell Marian

There is no doubt which senior guides the Copley girls basketball team this season.

"My team really starts with Izzy Callaway," Copley coach Julie Solis said Tuesday during an OHSAA teleconference with media members ahead of the state tournament. "She's our leader. She's just really a good influence on her teammates. She's always in the gym. She's just a great overall kid, but understands the importance of working outside of the gym as well. She averages about 21 points a game."

Copley (25-3) is set to meet two-time reigning Ms. Basketball Dee Alexander and two-time reigning state champion Cincinnati Purcell Marian (27-1) in a Division II state semifinal at 2 p.m. Friday at University of Dayton Arena.

Solis relies on two other seniors.

"Kami Ayoup averages 10 points [and six rebounds] a game," Solis said. "I can't say enough about her leadership on the floor as well. She leads by example. She's that hardworking, grit kid. Emily Kerekes is our other senior. She averages about five points per game, but she does all the dirty work. She is getting steals, she's getting rebounds.

"Behind our seniors, we have three sophomores. Evelyn McKnight is a extremely athletic point guard who is averaging 9.5 points and is our second-leading rebounder as well on the team [at five a game]. Definitely can dish the ball as well at about five and a half assists, and then Audrey Parker is a 6-foot sophomore rebounder at nine points a game.

"Zoey Van Voorhis is our shooter that comes in off the bench for us. She definitely is deadly from 3-point land and when she's hot, she's hot. And then our last player that plays in our rotation is [junior] Angelique Lane. Angelique, she's another one of those grit kids. She's going to go in there, be physical with people, get boards and defend at that end."

Copley has seven other players whose biggest impact is behind the scenes. Lila Niemczura, Stella Kaplack, Ava Capper and Leighton Chuna are freshmen. Amelia Davis, Riley Cowan and Lillianna Williams are sophomores.

"Those freshmen, those kids that have moved up with us to go on this journey of the tournament with us, I can't say enough about their energy, their commitment to the team and how they're pushing the other kids in practice," Solis said.

"It's like we're experiencing, it's synergy to me. They are all in it and they're all doing their part, and whatever their role is, they're fulfilling it, whether it be their cheering on the bench or yelling box out on the bench. They all have some little responsibilities as well. But all 14 of them have really committed to this journey."

Solis said she is encouraging her players to "embrace the moment."

"This a moment that they're going to remember, they're going to carry with them forever," Solis said.

Alexander, a 6-foot-1 junior, has more than 40 college scholarship offers with 10 being from South Carolina, Ohio State, Iowa, Connecticut, LSU, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Tennessee, USC and Texas.

"Obviously, this is going to be a tough matchup for us," Solis said. "I understand that going in. I think we look at every team and we try to game plan to their weaknesses. I'm not sure they have a lot of those, but we are going to make sure that we are dialing in on film and just kind of trying to pick those out.

"And we're also going to do what we do. I mean, there's a reason why we've been successful and been able to make it to the final four. So we're just going to have to tweak some things, do things a little bit differently, and we're going to put together a game plan that is going to give us the best opportunity to succeed.

"They have shooters, they have solid inside play. Dee Alexander, she is inside and out, and if she gets going, she's hard to stop. And I'm talking about from transitioning down the floor. Our defensive transition has to be on point because when she gets that full head of steam, she is really difficult to stop."

Purcell Marion coach Jamar Mosley described his players as "a great group of kids."

"That really starts with our junior group," Mosley said. "We have got six kids in that class. Everyone knows Dee and the Miller twins [Cy'Aira and Ky'Aira] and Trinity Small, and then we got two Jaylah Winters and Makenzie Jimmar."

Purcell Marian also has 6-3 freshman Samaya Wilkins, 6-3 senior Jordan Day (Canisius College) and 5-8 senior Jayda Mosley (Youngstown State).

Mosly said he is also impressed by what Copley brings to the court under Solis, who won Division I state championships in 2011 and 2012 as Twinsburg's coach, led Twinsburg to a state runner-up finish in 2013 and guided Solon to a state runner-up finish in 2006.

"Her team is always prepared," Mosley said. "... The biggest thing with Copley is they do a good job of playing their role. That is a direct reflection of their coach. Everyone on their team knows their role. No one tries to force anything. No one takes 'my turn' shots.

"Izzy Callaway is a phenomenal player, a four-level scorer who can do it all. She can get to the basket, can score from the outside, can score from the free-throw line and can get her teammates involved. They are an outstanding team."

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Izzy Callaway leads Copley into state semifinal against Purcell Marian