Preseason Preview: Russia Girls Basketball

The 2025-2026 Lady Raiders roster includes five players 6-foot or taller

With opening night of the high school basketball season tipping off this weekend, the Russia girls are preparing to build off last season's success. The 2024-2025 campaign ended when the Raiders fell in overtime at the district final to Mississinawa Valley 45-44. That finish should provide both fuel and expectations for the program and their fans in the months coming up. Below is Fish Report's recap from last year, our expectations for this year, and a few games you can circle on your calendar.

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Recap 

Russia ended last year 14-10 overall and 8-4 in the Shelby County Athletic League. Their league record was third best in the county and also marked back-to-back seasons of 8-4. 

Highlight wins:

• An early confidence building victory at backyard rival Versailles 46-38 on December 14th. Junior Claudia Hoehne led the way with 17 points.

• A takedown of D-V Waynesville 53-43 at the Tiger Classic on January 20th. The Spartans finished the season 21-5, including 12-0 in the SWBL.

• A district semi-final defeat of Southeastern 53-43 on February 19th. The Raiders sank 13-15 free throws in the fourth quarter, including 9-10 from freshman Aryana Cordonnier.
  

With one lone senior last season in starter Addison Shappie, Russia proved they could beat quality competition. However, the Raiders also lost an abundance of close contests simply because they couldn't finish. Eight of their ten losses were by six points or less.

Last year's Ft. Loramie at Russia game went into overtime before the Redskins topped the Raiders 39-34

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Expectations

Third-year head coach Michael Bashore and his staff will likely work towards closing ball games in the regular season, with an eye on this year's league title and ultimately a deeper postseason run. 

Star players:

• Claudia Hoehne (Sr., 6-2): Guarding the top returning all-league honoree and all-Ohio recipient from last year would have been a tall task for opponents. However, Hoehne is out with an injury. Replacing Claudia's scoring, her ability to crash the boards, and her presence in the paint on defense will be tough.
  

• Hazel Francis (Jr., 6-0): If you follow Russia volleyball or track & field, it's no secret that Francis has the best hops of anyone in the area. Her athleticism combined with experience as a third-year starter means Hazel should wake up feeling dangerous this season. Put her on your radar.
  

• Celeste Borchers (Jr., 6-0): Every great team has a coach on the floor. After starting as a freshman and sophomore, we believe Borchers fills that role this year. Celeste also brings a unique energy that Russia's program will desperately need in those key moments that define a season.

• Aryana Cordonnier (So., 5-7): This could be a breakout season for the youngster. Cordonnier is a proven spot-up shooter that becomes a nightmare for opposing coaches as she learns to shoot off the dribble. Ary's efficient passing and defending with physicality makes her a legit four-tool player.
  

The Raiders also return several additional seasoned veterans in Faith York (Sr., 5-8), Callie Goubeaux (Sr., 5-7), and Kylie Doseck (Sr., 5-10). Furthermore, Fish Report believes newcomers Cami Schafer (So., 6-0) and Ruby Francis (Fr., 5-8) will provide a youthful impact at the season evolves. If the program can find synergy with all that talent, Russia could be one of the top Division VII teams in southwest Ohio.
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Calendar

Marquee matchups:

While the SCAL schedule should be entertaining, here are a few non-league games to circle on the calendar:

• Monday, December 22nd at Division IV Archbishop Alter. The Knights escaped Russia with a 3-point win last year and later finished as state runner-up.

• Monday, January 19th versus D-IV Brookville at Versailles. The Blue Devils played in D-V last year and fell in the regional semis to Versailles in double overtime.
  

• Tuesday, January 27th hosting D-VI Legacy Christian. The Knights played D-VII last year and finished 22-3 after losing in the regional semis to Mississinawa Valley, following the Blackhawks district final win over Russia.

Russia opens the season this Saturday night at home versus D-VI Arcanum. Fish Report will be broadcasting audio play-by-play for every girls and boys home game all season long. Simply click the 'Streaming' link at the top of this page to listen for free. Also, stay tuned to our website for updates on occasional broadcasts from the road.

The Raiders won't be happy with district runner-up hardware this season (Picture by Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News)