The 5-foot-11 junior forward and center had led the Quakers to a 16-5 record and a berth in the Open State Tournament at the time of her selection. Ezemma averaged 18.6 points and 16.0 rebounds through 21 games with 19 double-doubles, including three straight games with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. The highest vote-getter on the Rhode Island Basketball Coaches Association's All-State team, she entered the state tournament with 1,103 points and 974 rebounds in her prep basketball career.
Ezemma has maintained a weighted 3.88 GPA in the classroom and represents one of the state's top academic candidates in meeting the Gatorade award's broad criteria. She will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
A leader of the Black Affinity Group at Moses Brown, Ezemma has volunteered locally as part of community beautification projects and at a food bank and homeless shelter. "Oluchi creates matchup nightmares for every opposing team and can take over a game all by herself," said George Coderre, head coach of Cumberland High. "She makes all of her teammates considerably more effective."
