The 2014-15 VHSL Hoops season has been in the books now for three weeks. Most on the basketball front are turning their attention to AAU as well as the Final Four this weekend.
In the meantime, we'll take an early peak, about seven months and some change in advance, of what the 2015-16 VHSL Hoops season may have in store.
We won't name Top Tens until November, but we'll take a stab at who may make it to the Final Four next March in all six classifications, knowing full this is subject to (and certainly will) change. It's a new cycle in the VHSL realignment as well, so there are some teams out there that may move up or down a division with conference changes happening all over, too.
6A:
South 1 - C.D. Hylton
South 2 - Oscar Smith
North 1 - Westfield
North 2 - Battlefield
Initial Thoughts: C.D. Hylton returns the bulk of its team, led by sharp shooter Jerry Carter. Westfield should be back in the State Championship conversation as long as they have the 1-2 punch of Tyler Scanlon and Blake Francis. Colonial Forge has a lot to replace with Marco Haskins, a two-time State Player of the Year, departing along with fellow senior starters Winston Burgess, T.J. Flood and Isiah Williams. It's now Carion Eaton's team, and both aforementioned Bulldogs have more firepower at the moment.
Granby, Landstown and Oscar Smith have to be in the mix as well. The Comets should have even more confidence in Mike Evans' second year at the helm. Landstown loses an All-State center in Darius Bolstad, while All-State guard Nigel Ribeiro will be gone from Oscar Smith. Keaton Simmons at Stonewall Jackson is a player to watch out for and one that could make the Raiders a fly in the ointment in the 6A-North Region picture. Although leading scorer Kam Hedgepeth leaves, Battlefield brings back a lot of ingredients to go far in the postseason.
5A:
South 1 - Henrico
South 2 - Hampton
North 1 - Potomac
North 2 - Albemarle
Initial Thoughts: Green Run returns every starter, headlined by the inside-outside tandem of Emonni Wood and DeShaun Wade, two players that figure to draw Division I looks. But they're in a tough Conference 9 that also features Norview, which made it to the State Championship game this year, and Maury, who has one of the nation's top recruits in four-star point
guard Matt Coleman.
Bethel moves into 5A from 6A and will also be a hard out. Their Class of 2017 combo of Cam Bacote and Dajour Dickens rates among the most dynamic in the state. Problem for the Bruins is that Hampton, which is in same conference, features a perimeter trio in Mastadi Pitt, Marquis Godwin and Jalen Ray that might be the most potent in all of 6A next season.
While much of the talent in 5A is in the South, don't count out Potomac since they are always contending for a title it seems. Albemarle loses only one player from a team that got to the regional quarterfinals and Head Coach Greg Maynard has a double-double threat in 6-foot-5 forward Austin Katstra. Tuscarora is a dakrhorse to watch out for with Kyle Copeland, a D-1 target.
4A:
East 1 - King's Fork
East 2 - Lake Taylor
West 1 - Loudoun Valley
West 2 - GW-Danville
Initial Thoughts: We haven't even gotten to May yet, but we see things play out in 2016 similarly to how they did in 2015. What I mean by that is we saw two teams from 4A-South face off for a regional title and then a State Championship. Norcom moves down to 3A and now Lake Taylor in the same conference with King's Fork, who edged the Titans in the regional semis this year. They could play each other in the postseason as many as three times.
The 4A-West Region is the only one in the entire state with five different conferences. In fact, there is a Conference 21A and Conference 21B. That region looks way more wide open than 4A-East. Loudoun Valley returns six of its top seven scorers, including guards Nick Ball and Trey McDyre, a pair that averaged over 21PPG. That second spot is also up for grabs, and when all else fails, go with GW-Danville. Ron Parson's Eagles have made the State Final Four each of the last two years, and even though they lose top scorer in guard Tamario Rodgers, the program re-loads better than most.
3A:
East 1 - Norcom
East 2 - John Marshall
West 1 - Northside
West 2 - Spotswood
Initial Thoughts: Things look really interesting 3A-East. Norcom moves down from Group 4A, where they won back-to-back state titles, and will go for a rare three-peat, which would give them five state title in seven years if they actually pulled it off. But John Marshall could have something to say about that with the inside-outside duo of Greg Jones and Jeremy Carter-Sheppard. In terms of favorites, Northside returns about 10 players with the combo of Kendrick Tucker and Carlos 'Boogie' Basham, while Spotswood is going to be formidable again with D-1 recruit Justin Kier leading the way.
Cave Spring has to be watched out for on the West side of the bracket as well with Brody Hicks coming back. The East side of the bracket appears to be an absolute meat-grinder with up to four of five teams capable of going on a deep playoff run. You know defending State Champ George Wythe will be dangerous if Maliek White is back, plus you can't count out the likes of Culpeper and Hopewell. Even a Park View or Lakeland could be tricky outs.
2A:
East 1 - Greensville
East 2 - George Mason
West 1 - Martinsville
West 2 - Richlands
Initial Thoughts: Bringing back Jordan Peebles, who should hover around 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, makes Greensville a threat to win it all after capturing the 2A-East Region Tournament crown this year. They remind me in a sense of Martinsville, which won it all in Group 2A this year, after going through the experience of losing to Bruton in 2014 in the Final Four round. Speaking of Jeff Adkins' Bulldogs, as long as Devonnte Holland is in the middle, they are going to be at or near the top of the rankings in 2A.
Don't count out Brunswick or Bruton in the East. Union with James Mitchell has to be taken seriously given his 31 point, 9-rebound, 6-assist effort as a freshman in the Conference Tournament semifinals vs. Gate City. Richlands is a total wild card pick by me. I'm pretty sure there are safer, better picks out there with Dan River, Graham and Gate City. However, every year there is that team that comes from nowhere and they have enough underclassmen back to be that team. My opinion could change drastically between now and November on that one.
1A:
East 1 - Lancaster
East 2 - Luray
West 1 - George Wythe
West 2 - Honaker
Initial Thoughts: There's a lot to like about Tim Rice's Lancaster squad, welcoming back eight players and three starters. Losing only two seniors from an 18-7 squad, no one should be surprised to see them playing at VCU next March. Luray, with Josh Good back in the fold, is a team to watch out for because he's a D-1 caliber talent and moving down from 2A to 1A should benefit them.
Don't expect Altavista to be back in the title mix, even though I figure they'll be above the .500 mark. Essex is usually a dakhorse, Northumberland can be sneaky good and Surry has to be watched closely with a next-level talent on its roster in All-State performer Justin Williams in the backcourt.
On the West side of the bracket, there are some stellar individual talents with big man Tanner Robinette at Honaker, Malik Johnson at George Wythe and Derrick Cusano at Eastside. Who will get the most help? That might be Johnson with another All-Region level player alongside him in Chase Rosenbaum. Radford would've gone further if Nate Jones, a Bucknell signee, had more help around him this past season. With Jones gone now, the Bobcats might take a slight step back, similar to Altavista over in the East.
This post was edited on 4/5 1:36 PM by matthew328826
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In the meantime, we'll take an early peak, about seven months and some change in advance, of what the 2015-16 VHSL Hoops season may have in store.
We won't name Top Tens until November, but we'll take a stab at who may make it to the Final Four next March in all six classifications, knowing full this is subject to (and certainly will) change. It's a new cycle in the VHSL realignment as well, so there are some teams out there that may move up or down a division with conference changes happening all over, too.
6A:
South 1 - C.D. Hylton
South 2 - Oscar Smith
North 1 - Westfield
North 2 - Battlefield
Initial Thoughts: C.D. Hylton returns the bulk of its team, led by sharp shooter Jerry Carter. Westfield should be back in the State Championship conversation as long as they have the 1-2 punch of Tyler Scanlon and Blake Francis. Colonial Forge has a lot to replace with Marco Haskins, a two-time State Player of the Year, departing along with fellow senior starters Winston Burgess, T.J. Flood and Isiah Williams. It's now Carion Eaton's team, and both aforementioned Bulldogs have more firepower at the moment.
Granby, Landstown and Oscar Smith have to be in the mix as well. The Comets should have even more confidence in Mike Evans' second year at the helm. Landstown loses an All-State center in Darius Bolstad, while All-State guard Nigel Ribeiro will be gone from Oscar Smith. Keaton Simmons at Stonewall Jackson is a player to watch out for and one that could make the Raiders a fly in the ointment in the 6A-North Region picture. Although leading scorer Kam Hedgepeth leaves, Battlefield brings back a lot of ingredients to go far in the postseason.
5A:
South 1 - Henrico
South 2 - Hampton
North 1 - Potomac
North 2 - Albemarle
Initial Thoughts: Green Run returns every starter, headlined by the inside-outside tandem of Emonni Wood and DeShaun Wade, two players that figure to draw Division I looks. But they're in a tough Conference 9 that also features Norview, which made it to the State Championship game this year, and Maury, who has one of the nation's top recruits in four-star point
guard Matt Coleman.
Bethel moves into 5A from 6A and will also be a hard out. Their Class of 2017 combo of Cam Bacote and Dajour Dickens rates among the most dynamic in the state. Problem for the Bruins is that Hampton, which is in same conference, features a perimeter trio in Mastadi Pitt, Marquis Godwin and Jalen Ray that might be the most potent in all of 6A next season.
While much of the talent in 5A is in the South, don't count out Potomac since they are always contending for a title it seems. Albemarle loses only one player from a team that got to the regional quarterfinals and Head Coach Greg Maynard has a double-double threat in 6-foot-5 forward Austin Katstra. Tuscarora is a dakrhorse to watch out for with Kyle Copeland, a D-1 target.
4A:
East 1 - King's Fork
East 2 - Lake Taylor
West 1 - Loudoun Valley
West 2 - GW-Danville
Initial Thoughts: We haven't even gotten to May yet, but we see things play out in 2016 similarly to how they did in 2015. What I mean by that is we saw two teams from 4A-South face off for a regional title and then a State Championship. Norcom moves down to 3A and now Lake Taylor in the same conference with King's Fork, who edged the Titans in the regional semis this year. They could play each other in the postseason as many as three times.
The 4A-West Region is the only one in the entire state with five different conferences. In fact, there is a Conference 21A and Conference 21B. That region looks way more wide open than 4A-East. Loudoun Valley returns six of its top seven scorers, including guards Nick Ball and Trey McDyre, a pair that averaged over 21PPG. That second spot is also up for grabs, and when all else fails, go with GW-Danville. Ron Parson's Eagles have made the State Final Four each of the last two years, and even though they lose top scorer in guard Tamario Rodgers, the program re-loads better than most.
3A:
East 1 - Norcom
East 2 - John Marshall
West 1 - Northside
West 2 - Spotswood
Initial Thoughts: Things look really interesting 3A-East. Norcom moves down from Group 4A, where they won back-to-back state titles, and will go for a rare three-peat, which would give them five state title in seven years if they actually pulled it off. But John Marshall could have something to say about that with the inside-outside duo of Greg Jones and Jeremy Carter-Sheppard. In terms of favorites, Northside returns about 10 players with the combo of Kendrick Tucker and Carlos 'Boogie' Basham, while Spotswood is going to be formidable again with D-1 recruit Justin Kier leading the way.
Cave Spring has to be watched out for on the West side of the bracket as well with Brody Hicks coming back. The East side of the bracket appears to be an absolute meat-grinder with up to four of five teams capable of going on a deep playoff run. You know defending State Champ George Wythe will be dangerous if Maliek White is back, plus you can't count out the likes of Culpeper and Hopewell. Even a Park View or Lakeland could be tricky outs.
2A:
East 1 - Greensville
East 2 - George Mason
West 1 - Martinsville
West 2 - Richlands
Initial Thoughts: Bringing back Jordan Peebles, who should hover around 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, makes Greensville a threat to win it all after capturing the 2A-East Region Tournament crown this year. They remind me in a sense of Martinsville, which won it all in Group 2A this year, after going through the experience of losing to Bruton in 2014 in the Final Four round. Speaking of Jeff Adkins' Bulldogs, as long as Devonnte Holland is in the middle, they are going to be at or near the top of the rankings in 2A.
Don't count out Brunswick or Bruton in the East. Union with James Mitchell has to be taken seriously given his 31 point, 9-rebound, 6-assist effort as a freshman in the Conference Tournament semifinals vs. Gate City. Richlands is a total wild card pick by me. I'm pretty sure there are safer, better picks out there with Dan River, Graham and Gate City. However, every year there is that team that comes from nowhere and they have enough underclassmen back to be that team. My opinion could change drastically between now and November on that one.
1A:
East 1 - Lancaster
East 2 - Luray
West 1 - George Wythe
West 2 - Honaker
Initial Thoughts: There's a lot to like about Tim Rice's Lancaster squad, welcoming back eight players and three starters. Losing only two seniors from an 18-7 squad, no one should be surprised to see them playing at VCU next March. Luray, with Josh Good back in the fold, is a team to watch out for because he's a D-1 caliber talent and moving down from 2A to 1A should benefit them.
Don't expect Altavista to be back in the title mix, even though I figure they'll be above the .500 mark. Essex is usually a dakhorse, Northumberland can be sneaky good and Surry has to be watched closely with a next-level talent on its roster in All-State performer Justin Williams in the backcourt.
On the West side of the bracket, there are some stellar individual talents with big man Tanner Robinette at Honaker, Malik Johnson at George Wythe and Derrick Cusano at Eastside. Who will get the most help? That might be Johnson with another All-Region level player alongside him in Chase Rosenbaum. Radford would've gone further if Nate Jones, a Bucknell signee, had more help around him this past season. With Jones gone now, the Bobcats might take a slight step back, similar to Altavista over in the East.
This post was edited on 4/5 1:36 PM by matthew328826
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