Girls basketball: Avon Lake's Olivia Miller named Lorain County Miss Basketball

In her high school career, Avon Lake's Olivia Miller played in a Division III state championship game, earned special mention All-Ohio honors and led her team in scoring two years in a row. On Monday, Miller added another honor to the list when she was named 2026 Lorain County Miss Basketball. The award was presented at halftime of the Lorain County Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game at the North Ridgeville Academic Center. Miller is out of the state and wasn't able to accept the award, Avon Lake coach Paul Appel accepted the award on her behalf, but after the game she spoke to the local media via telephone. "I was really excited when I found out I won the award," Miller said. "I'm proud of myself for how hard I've worked over the years to get this."Miller averaged 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season for the Shoregals, who finished with a 16-8 record. Avon Lake ended its season with a regional semifinal loss to Canfield. "I knew once we got to playoff time that I only had one guaranteed game left and and I wanted to come out and play my heart out, play good defense and leave it all on the court," Miller said."Miller was the team's leading scorer in both of the Shoregals' 2026 playoffs games, scoring 20 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a district semifinal win over Louisville, and 12 points in the season-ending loss to the Cardinals. "Olivia was a four-year varsity player and a three-year varsity starter," Appel said. "She grew every year. She led us in the vast majority of statistical categories this year. She shot the ball well and she played her best in some of the biggest games, which is an attribute that the best players usually have."Miller earned first-team All-Northeast Lakes District and All-Southwestern Conference honors, while being named Lorain County Division I-III Player of the Year. "I'm thankful we were able to go as far as we did last season. Even though it wasn't a good outcome, I was able to look back and say, 'Wow, what a fun season,'" Miller said. "I got back in the gym in the offseason and worked on getting shots up and my ballhandling."This isn't the end of Miller's basketball career. Last month, she signed to continue her athletic and academic careers at Wayne State University in Detroit. "I'm really excited to go off and play," Miller said. "I know I'm going to have to get back in the gym soon and get lifting to get ready to playing next year in college."Miller doesn't only want to be remembered for wins and losses, or points and rebounds, she wants to leave a legacy as a role model for her younger teammates. "It means a lot to know that I had teammates who were younger than me that can look up to me," Miller said. "I showed them they can win Miss Basketball, too, if they're willing to work hard enough for it."Miller is the first Avon Lake player to win the award since 1997, when Rebecca Sandor shared the award with Elyria's Tyshekwa Madison, and only the fourth Miss Basketball to come form Avon Lake since the award was first presented in 1985.Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.