COLUMBUS, Ohio - Duke-bound high school All-Americans Alison Bales and Brittany Hunter squared off against each other last Friday night, with Bales' team prevailing in an 88-82 overtime thriller in the big-school Ohio girls state semifinals. Bales, a 6-foot-6 center from Beavercreek High School, overcame a slow start to score 20 points, 16 of which came after halftime.
Hunter was magnificent from start to finish on both sides of the ball, as she poured in 27 points despite being double and tripled-teamed. However, the Brookhaven star was more impressive in her efforts slowing Bales, who has considerable advantages in height - Hunter stands just 6-foot-2 - and weight. Hunter played in front of Bales throughout the contest, denying her chances to get the ball in the post. Bales did not score her first field goal until the third quarter.
"Brittany is a great player," Bales told The Columbus Dispatch. "It was great to play against her on the court. I learn a lot about what I need to work on. But I'll enjoy it a lot more when we're playing with each other next year instead of against each other."
And though Bales and Hunter embraced each other in the press room following the game, the on-court rumble between the National Player of the Year finalists was anything but friendly.
"This was not a time for that," Hunter told the Dispatch.
Hunter shut down Bales early on, but the Beavercreek senior remained calm, as she was a consistent force on the defensive end, denying Brookhaven's quick guards penetration into the lane because of her size and shot-altering ability. Offensively, teammate Kim Ingels stepped up big into Bales' size 16 men's shoes, dumping Brookhaven for 26 points - including the last five of regulation, in which she made a pair of foul shots and banked in a three-pointer that sent the game into overtime.
In the end, the pair from the Buckeye State both exhibited why they have bright futures in the Duke program.
Hunter's game is best described as a combination of three current Duke stars - Hunter has Alana Beard's ability to penetrate and score in traffic, Monique Currie's explosiveness and strength, and Iciss Tillis' interior offensive and defensive skills. Her post moves were so smooth and quick they appeared instinctual. She pivots well to her left and right, has a silky stroke and is very confident from 12 feet in. Hunter also showed proficiency in her post defense and rebounding.
But perhaps Hunter's greatest asset is her conspicuous leadership. Hunter was a coach on the floor Friday night, encouraging her teammates all night long, from offensive and defensive adjustments to butt-slapping to simple motivating words to fellow players in the critical moments of the game.
What is exciting about Hunter is that she's only been competing in serious basketball since the eighth grade.
"My mother told me that if I played ball and got to be pretty good at it, that maybe I could go to college somewhere for free," Hunter said. "I never even watched the NBA or college basketball on TV. I wasn't a prissy girl or anything like that, but sports just weren't my thing."
But for Ohio's 2003 Ms. Basketball, who averaged 23.5 points, 17.6 rebounds, six blocks and two steals per game this year, basketball is now her passion. And the nation knows it.
"In some scouts' eyes, Brittany Hunter is the No. 1 high-school girls player in the nation," John Feasel, editor of Ohio Girls Basketball Magazine, told the Dispatch.
Bales' road to stardom has been quite different, as she has always stuck out because of her size, which was cause for her nickname, "Big Al."
"I don't remember how much I weighed as a freshman, but it was more than I do now," said Bales, who averaged 17.6 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.5 blocks this season. "I'm more athletic now and I run the floor better."
She has gotten into better and better shape - Bales was limited to just five or six mix minutes at a time early in her career because of poor conditioning and sore knees-and her future in basketball has gotten brighter and brighter. Friday night, Bales stepped up when she was needed, scoring 16 points in the second half and overtime, and passing well to open guards and forwards after Brookhaven would double team her.
But for Bales and Hunter, the best is yet to come according to Brookhaven's coach, Reggie Lee.
"The first thing say about Bales is, 'Man, she's huge.' But she's really developed. She seems to have a better understanding of the game and she makes the players around her better, which is hard as a center.
"Brittany has never lifted weights - never - and as an athlete she has never been in the best shape because of all the little injuries and traveling during the summer,'' he said. "When she gets to college, she's going to be scary - really, really scary.''
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