George Washington’s Jeriyah Pryor handles the ball during a state tournament game in Charleston. (Photo by TaKaleb Turner)

Before Saturday, only one George Washington player had received the Mary Ostrowski Award, which is given to West Virginia’s top high school girls basketball player.

Kalissa Lacy earned the Patriots’ first such honor in 2020. Six years later, guard Jeriyah Pryor has added her name to a rare list.

Pryor averaged 19.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 4.2 steals per game as a junior. Pryor also shot an impressive 46% from the floor and 77% at the free-throw line.

Pryor has also taken home the MaxPreps, state Gatorade and Mountain State Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors this year before the latest laurel, bestowed by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

“It’s just a tremendous honor, as a junior, for her,” GW coach Jamie LaMaster said. “I’ve had some decorated players in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever had one as heavily decorated as Jeriyah. To have someone as a junior to garner this much attention is outstanding and a testament to her work.”

Pryor understands the Patriots’ rich tradition and history and isn’t taking for granted receiving such an honor as the Mary O.

“It feels really good,” Pryor said. “I’m happy to have received this award. I’ve worked pretty hard for this. I’m happy for myself and everybody pushing me, especially my coaches and teammates. I couldn’t be where I’m at today without them.”

Pryor missed five games this season due to an ankle injury.

She said that coming back from her injury allowed her to continue to push herself, despite being away from the court.

“When people usually get injured, they’re down,” Pryor said. “I just knew I had to push myself to become better and come back healthier so I could get to where I am now.”

LaMaster felt that, despite her injury, Pryor still built her game and saw a different side of things.

“What I was most impressed with during her injury was that, while she was out for five games, she set up next to me,” LaMaster said. “She got a unique perspective of the things that I see and what we see from the sidelines. In fact, one time she looked at me and said, ‘How’d you know that was going to happen?’ I said, ‘Because I’ve been doing it 32 years.’ She got a unique perspective from that angle of seeing the game from a different set of eyes.”

Her season averages dipped somewhat following her sophomore campaign, in which she averaged 25.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 4.3 steals per game.

Yet, she still felt her game grew this season.

“I feel like it grew by putting in more work on the court and working more off the court,” Pryor said. “It was by playing hard, while communicating with my teammates on the court. You’re never good enough. There’s always more work that you can put in. I’m just gonna keep hitting the gym and working out to become a better version of myself, for both myself and my team.”

LaMaster has coached his fair share of talented players in his 22 years on The Hill. Lacy, Finley Lohan, Zaniah Zellous, Katy Darnell jump first to mind.

The veteran GW coach feels that Pryor’s God-given talent and her ability to use her strengths to her advantage separate her from others.

“She’s physically gifted. She’s strong and athletic,” LaMaster said. “But, she’s also very talented. Her biggest growth has been her mental maturity throughout her career. She’s grown mentally, along with her physicality. There’s also room for both to grow. She gets frustrated at times, but she also draws a lot of attention. She’s drawing the [opponent’s] No. 1 defender every night and is the top of everybody’s scouting reports.”

LaMaster simply wants his star guard to continue what’s allowed her to be a successful player thus far.

Pryor has been named Class AAAA first-team all-state the past two seasons, while she was a second-team member following her freshman season.

“I just want to see improvements all the way around, especially at what she’s already good at,” LaMaster said. “There’s always room for improvement. I want her to continue to work, get stronger, grow mentally, specifically handling adversity, whether it be an injury or frustration during a game. You really, truly have to have a next-play mentality, which she’s beginning to adopt. I’ve seen a lot of improvement from that aspect.”

Kanawha County has had three recipients of the Mary Ostrowski Award since 2020 — Nitro’s Baylee Goins and GW’s Lacy are the two that join Pryor.

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Known as the R.A. Thom Award until 2012, the Ostrowski Award is named for former Parkersburg Catholic basketball star Mary Ostrowski, a 1982 Kodak All-American who was the first No. 1-rated recruit to play for Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. The recipient is selected by the WVSWA and the award is given to the state’s top girls basketball player.

Previous winners

2026 – Jeriyah Pryor, jr., George Washington

2025 – Alexis Bordas, sr., Wheeling Park

2024 – Alexis Bordas, jr., Wheeling Park; Ashlynn Van Tassell, Cameron

2023 – Alexis Bordas, so., Wheeling Park

2022 – Marley Washenitz, Fairmont Senior

2021 – Marley Washenitz, jr., Fairmont Senior; Baylee Goins, Nitro

2020 – Kalissa Lacy, jr., George Washington

2019 – Shay-Lee Kirby, Parkersburg (Austin Peay)

2018 – Gabby Lupardus, Wyoming East; Hanna McClung, Buckhannon-Upshur

2017 – Jordyn Dawson, Huntington

2016 – Jordyn Dawson, jr., Huntington

2015 – Taryn McCutcheon, jr., Parkersburg South

2014 – Mychal Johnson, St. Joseph

2013 – Miki Glenn, Bridgeport

2012 – Makenzie White, Scott

2011 – Mariah Byard, North Marion

2010 – Mariah Byard, jr., North Marion

2009 – Whitney Bays, Huntington

2008 – Jolysa Brown, Summers County

2007 – Mackenzie Maier, Charleston Catholic

2006 – Keri Pryor, Morgantown

2005 – Renee Montgomery, South Charleston

2004 – Alexis Hornbuckle, South Charleston

2003 – Alexis Hornbuckle, jr., South Charleston

2002 – Alexis Hornbuckle, so., Capital; Jessica Sell, North Marion

2001 – Missy Spangler, Ritchie County

2000 – Ashley Battle, Linsly

1999 – KeTara Lee, Wheeling Park

1998 – Jody Williams, Nicholas County

1997 – Laura Meadows, Huntington East

Fall season

1995 – Sarah Wilkerson, Mercer Christian; Sharon Wilkerson, Mercer Christian

1994 – Christin Annie, Liberty-Harrison

1993 – Julie Wheeler, Morgantown

1992 – Julie Wheeler, jr., Morgantown, and Tasha King, Martinsburg

1991 – Heather Hopkins, Parkersburg

1990 – Stephanie Carter, Morgantown

1989 – Erin Kiernan, St. Francis

1988 – Christy Cooper, Circleville

1987 – Susan Robinson, Doddridge County

1986 – Thelma Farley, Athens

1985 – Valetta “Wee Wee” Johnson, Stonewall Jackson

1984 – Judy Eaton, Parkersburg Catholic

1983 – Monique Tarantini, St. Francis

1982 – Amy Gamble, John Marshall

1981 – Dee Dee Butler, Princeton, and Kim Crawford, Parkersburg South

1980 – Dee Davis, Wheeling Park

1979 – Mary Ostrowski, Parkersburg Catholic

1978 – Mary Ostrowski, jr., Parkersburg Catholic

1977 – Mary Ostrowski, so., Parkersburg Catholic