The quarterfinals were completed on Tuesday for the 2024 VHSL State Basketball Tournament and interestingly enough there was just one overtime game of the 48 played - 24 apiece boys and girls. That came in Virginia Beach, where two-time reigning Class 6 State Champ Hayfield recovered from coughing up a 17-point second half lead to defeat host Landstown, 58-53, and end the 17-game winning streak of the Region 6A Champion Eagles.
But that wasn't the only photo finish. There were a total of 12 games decided by five points of fewer, seven of which were on the guys side and five others on the girls side. Class 5 featured the most nail-biting endings as Albemarle knocked off the lone unbeaten in VHSL Boys Hoops, Potomac Falls, as they erased a double-digit deficit to prevail 61-58 on a night when Ben Wesson eclipsed 1000 career points. Other close finishes saw L.C. Bird hold off Massaponax 40-38 and Green Run edge Maury, 38-36, on a pair of free-throws from Sorrell Straker with less than two seconds to play.
Not only did the lone unbeaten boys team fall, but two undefeated girls teams went down as Essex was beaten by Brunswick, 56-52, and Charlottesville got nipped by Tuscarora, 44-42. The Tuscarora boys also were victorious, 72-58 over Charlottesville, to set up a fifth meeting with Dulles District rival Loudoun Valley, who they beat the first three times this season before a 58-55 loss to Chad Dawson's Vikings in the Region 4C Final.
We were denied a fifth encounter between Mountain Empire District rivals Auburn and George Wythe. That's because the Maroons of George Wythe fell to Honaker, a team they beat 76-48 at the FriendshipCars Virginia Invitational in January. This time, unlike the previous encounter, the Tigers had Peyton Musick and the star QB from the football team delivered with 28 points in a 64-62 squeaker that has his basketball team on the cusp of playing for a state title. Honaker has now won 16 in a row.
For the complete schedule, you can visit the VHSL's web site and / or check out Our Master 2024 VHSL Playoff Hoops Brackets Here that we regularly update.
Below, you can get a look at how my Predictions have done this postseason + in recent years before my pick selections on each quarterfinal.
Hatfield's 2024 State Quarterfinal Picks: 19-5 (79.2%)
Hatfield's 2024 Region Playoff Record: 141-35 (80.1%)
Hatfield's 2024 Postseason Record: 160-40 (80%)
Hatfield's 2023 State Final Picks: 8-4 (67%) with 5-1 Boys and 3-3 Girls
Hatfield's 2023 Boys State Tournament Total: 38-4 (90.5%)
Hatfield's 2023 VHSL Quarterfinal Total: 22-2 (91.7%)
Hatfield's 2023 Region Playoff Total: 153-39 (79.7%)
Hatfield's 2022 State Final Picks: 11-1 (91.7%)
Hatfield's 2022 Boys State Tournament Total: 34-8 (81%)
Hatfield's 2022 Girls State Tournament Total: 32-10 (76.2%)
Hatfield's 2022 Region Playoff Total: 156-45 (77.6%)
Hatfield's 2021 Region Playoff Record: 109-24 (82%)
Hatfield's 2020 Postseason Record: 207-60 (77.5%)
Hatfield's 2019 Region Playoff Record: 139-56 (71.3%)
Hatfield’s 2021 State Playoff Record: 12-6 (67%)
Hatfield’s 2021 State Finals Record: 3-3 (50%)
Hatfield’s 2021 State Semis Record: 9-3 (75%)
VHSL State Semifinals - Friday 3/1/24:
BOYS:
Class 6:
Region C #2 Hayfield (22-7) vs. Region D #1 South Lakes (24-2) at Westfield HS
Hat's Pick - South Lakes 70-60
Region A #2 Oscar Smith (22-3) vs. Region B #1 Patriot (23-4) at C.D. Hylton HS
Hat's Pick - Patriot 53-45
Revised State Final Pick: Patriot over South Lakes
Class 5:
Region C #2 Albemarle (24-4) vs. Region C #1 L.C. Bird (23-2) at Thomas Dale HS
Hat's Pick - L.C. Bird 58-56
Region A #1 Green Run (19-7) vs. Region B #1 Woodside (25-1) at Norfolk State
Hat's Pick - Woodside 52-36
State Final Pick: Woodside over L.C. Bird
Class 4:
Region C #2 Tuscarora (24-3) vs. Region C #1 Loudoun Valley (18-9) at Woodgrove HS
Hat's Pick - Tuscarora 66-59
Region A #1 Hampton (23-2) vs. Region B #1 Varina (22-1) at Heritage HS
Hat's Pick - Varina 68-62
State Final Pick: Varina over Tuscarora
Class 3:
Region D #1 Northside (26-3) vs. Region D #2 Tunstall (27-2) at Roanoke College
Hat's Pick - Northside 60-57
Region A #1 Lake Taylor (26-2; 24-1) vs. Region B #1 James Monroe (23-5) at Norfolk State
Hat's Pick - Lake Taylor 73-61
State Final Pick: Lake Taylor over Northside
Class 2:
Region D #1 Virginia High (22-5) vs. Region D #2 Graham (18-7) at Lebanon HS
Hat's Pick - Virginia High 59-56
Region A #1 John Marshall (23-3) vs. Region A #2 Bruton (19-7) at Huguenot HS
Hat's Pick - John Marshall 93-57
State Final Pick: John Marshall over Virginia High
Class 1:
Region D #1 Honaker (22-7) vs. Region C #1 Auburn (22-6) at Lebanon HS
Hat's Pick - Auburn 53-52
Region A #1 Lancaster (24-2) vs. Region A #2 Middlesex (19-5) at New Kent HS
Hat's Pick - Lancaster 64-57
Revised State Final Pick: Auburn over Lancaster in OT
GIRLS: [no score picks on these, just winners]
Class 6:
Region A #1 Manchester (25-2) vs. Region D #1 Centreville (23-3) at Cosby HS
Hat's Pick - Manchester
Region A #2 Thomas Dale (23-1) vs. Region B #1 Osbourn Park (24-3) at C.D. Hylton HS
Hat's Pick - Thomas Dale
State Final Pick: Manchester over Thomas Dale in OT
Class 5:
Region C #2 Patrick Henry-Roanoke (23-5) vs. Region C #1 James River-Midlothian (24-3) at Midlothian HS
Hat's Pick - James River
Region A #1 Princess Anne (23-2) vs. Region A #2 Deep Creek (23-2) at Norfolk State
Hat's Pick - Princess Anne
State Final Pick: Princess Anne over James River
Class 4:
Region C #2 Tuscarora (20-7) vs. Region C #1 Woodgrove (27-1) at Loudoun Valley HS
Hat's Pick - Woodgrove
Region A #1 Hampton (22-3) vs. Region B #1 Monacan (21-5) at Heritage HS
Hat's Pick - Monacan in OT
State Final Pick: Woodgrove over Monacan
Class 3:
Region D #1 Abingdon (23-6) vs. Region C #1 Liberty Christian (25-0) at Virginia High
Hat's Pick - Liberty Christian
Region B #2 Meridian (21-5) vs. Region A #2 Lake Taylor (18-7; 17-6) at Alexandria City
Hat's Pick - Meridian
State Final Pick: Liberty Christian over Meridian
Class 2:
Region D #1 Central-Wise (24-4) vs. Region D #2 Ridgeview (21-7) at UVA-Wise
Hat's Pick - Central-Wise in 2 OT's
Region A #1 John Marshall (19-8) vs. Region B #1 Strasburg (25-4) at Huguenot
Hat's Pick - John Marshall
State Final Pick: Central-Wise over John Marshall
Class 1:
Region D #1 Eastside (20-8) vs. Region D #2 Honaker (24-4) at UVA-Wise
Hat's Pick - Eastside
Region A #2 Brunswick (24-1) vs. Region B #1 Buffalo Gap (24-3) at Harrisonburg HS
Hat's Pick - Buffalo Gap
State Final Pick: Buffalo Gap over Eastside
But that wasn't the only photo finish. There were a total of 12 games decided by five points of fewer, seven of which were on the guys side and five others on the girls side. Class 5 featured the most nail-biting endings as Albemarle knocked off the lone unbeaten in VHSL Boys Hoops, Potomac Falls, as they erased a double-digit deficit to prevail 61-58 on a night when Ben Wesson eclipsed 1000 career points. Other close finishes saw L.C. Bird hold off Massaponax 40-38 and Green Run edge Maury, 38-36, on a pair of free-throws from Sorrell Straker with less than two seconds to play.
Not only did the lone unbeaten boys team fall, but two undefeated girls teams went down as Essex was beaten by Brunswick, 56-52, and Charlottesville got nipped by Tuscarora, 44-42. The Tuscarora boys also were victorious, 72-58 over Charlottesville, to set up a fifth meeting with Dulles District rival Loudoun Valley, who they beat the first three times this season before a 58-55 loss to Chad Dawson's Vikings in the Region 4C Final.
We were denied a fifth encounter between Mountain Empire District rivals Auburn and George Wythe. That's because the Maroons of George Wythe fell to Honaker, a team they beat 76-48 at the FriendshipCars Virginia Invitational in January. This time, unlike the previous encounter, the Tigers had Peyton Musick and the star QB from the football team delivered with 28 points in a 64-62 squeaker that has his basketball team on the cusp of playing for a state title. Honaker has now won 16 in a row.
For the complete schedule, you can visit the VHSL's web site and / or check out Our Master 2024 VHSL Playoff Hoops Brackets Here that we regularly update.
Below, you can get a look at how my Predictions have done this postseason + in recent years before my pick selections on each quarterfinal.
Hatfield's 2024 State Quarterfinal Picks: 19-5 (79.2%)
Hatfield's 2024 Region Playoff Record: 141-35 (80.1%)
Hatfield's 2024 Postseason Record: 160-40 (80%)
Hatfield's 2023 State Final Picks: 8-4 (67%) with 5-1 Boys and 3-3 Girls
Hatfield's 2023 Boys State Tournament Total: 38-4 (90.5%)
Hatfield's 2023 VHSL Quarterfinal Total: 22-2 (91.7%)
Hatfield's 2023 Region Playoff Total: 153-39 (79.7%)
Hatfield's 2022 State Final Picks: 11-1 (91.7%)
Hatfield's 2022 Boys State Tournament Total: 34-8 (81%)
Hatfield's 2022 Girls State Tournament Total: 32-10 (76.2%)
Hatfield's 2022 Region Playoff Total: 156-45 (77.6%)
Hatfield's 2021 Region Playoff Record: 109-24 (82%)
Hatfield's 2020 Postseason Record: 207-60 (77.5%)
Hatfield's 2019 Region Playoff Record: 139-56 (71.3%)
Hatfield’s 2021 State Playoff Record: 12-6 (67%)
Hatfield’s 2021 State Finals Record: 3-3 (50%)
Hatfield’s 2021 State Semis Record: 9-3 (75%)
VHSL State Semifinals - Friday 3/1/24:
BOYS:
Class 6:
Region C #2 Hayfield (22-7) vs. Region D #1 South Lakes (24-2) at Westfield HS
Hat's Pick - South Lakes 70-60
Region A #2 Oscar Smith (22-3) vs. Region B #1 Patriot (23-4) at C.D. Hylton HS
Hat's Pick - Patriot 53-45
Revised State Final Pick: Patriot over South Lakes
Class 5:
Region C #2 Albemarle (24-4) vs. Region C #1 L.C. Bird (23-2) at Thomas Dale HS
Hat's Pick - L.C. Bird 58-56
Region A #1 Green Run (19-7) vs. Region B #1 Woodside (25-1) at Norfolk State
Hat's Pick - Woodside 52-36
State Final Pick: Woodside over L.C. Bird
Class 4:
Region C #2 Tuscarora (24-3) vs. Region C #1 Loudoun Valley (18-9) at Woodgrove HS
Hat's Pick - Tuscarora 66-59
Region A #1 Hampton (23-2) vs. Region B #1 Varina (22-1) at Heritage HS
Hat's Pick - Varina 68-62
State Final Pick: Varina over Tuscarora
Class 3:
Region D #1 Northside (26-3) vs. Region D #2 Tunstall (27-2) at Roanoke College
Hat's Pick - Northside 60-57
Region A #1 Lake Taylor (26-2; 24-1) vs. Region B #1 James Monroe (23-5) at Norfolk State
Hat's Pick - Lake Taylor 73-61
State Final Pick: Lake Taylor over Northside
Class 2:
Region D #1 Virginia High (22-5) vs. Region D #2 Graham (18-7) at Lebanon HS
Hat's Pick - Virginia High 59-56
Region A #1 John Marshall (23-3) vs. Region A #2 Bruton (19-7) at Huguenot HS
Hat's Pick - John Marshall 93-57
State Final Pick: John Marshall over Virginia High
Class 1:
Region D #1 Honaker (22-7) vs. Region C #1 Auburn (22-6) at Lebanon HS
Hat's Pick - Auburn 53-52
Region A #1 Lancaster (24-2) vs. Region A #2 Middlesex (19-5) at New Kent HS
Hat's Pick - Lancaster 64-57
Revised State Final Pick: Auburn over Lancaster in OT
GIRLS: [no score picks on these, just winners]
Class 6:
Region A #1 Manchester (25-2) vs. Region D #1 Centreville (23-3) at Cosby HS
Hat's Pick - Manchester
Region A #2 Thomas Dale (23-1) vs. Region B #1 Osbourn Park (24-3) at C.D. Hylton HS
Hat's Pick - Thomas Dale
State Final Pick: Manchester over Thomas Dale in OT
Class 5:
Region C #2 Patrick Henry-Roanoke (23-5) vs. Region C #1 James River-Midlothian (24-3) at Midlothian HS
Hat's Pick - James River
Region A #1 Princess Anne (23-2) vs. Region A #2 Deep Creek (23-2) at Norfolk State
Hat's Pick - Princess Anne
State Final Pick: Princess Anne over James River
Class 4:
Region C #2 Tuscarora (20-7) vs. Region C #1 Woodgrove (27-1) at Loudoun Valley HS
Hat's Pick - Woodgrove
Region A #1 Hampton (22-3) vs. Region B #1 Monacan (21-5) at Heritage HS
Hat's Pick - Monacan in OT
State Final Pick: Woodgrove over Monacan
Class 3:
Region D #1 Abingdon (23-6) vs. Region C #1 Liberty Christian (25-0) at Virginia High
Hat's Pick - Liberty Christian
Region B #2 Meridian (21-5) vs. Region A #2 Lake Taylor (18-7; 17-6) at Alexandria City
Hat's Pick - Meridian
State Final Pick: Liberty Christian over Meridian
Class 2:
Region D #1 Central-Wise (24-4) vs. Region D #2 Ridgeview (21-7) at UVA-Wise
Hat's Pick - Central-Wise in 2 OT's
Region A #1 John Marshall (19-8) vs. Region B #1 Strasburg (25-4) at Huguenot
Hat's Pick - John Marshall
State Final Pick: Central-Wise over John Marshall
Class 1:
Region D #1 Eastside (20-8) vs. Region D #2 Honaker (24-4) at UVA-Wise
Hat's Pick - Eastside
Region A #2 Brunswick (24-1) vs. Region B #1 Buffalo Gap (24-3) at Harrisonburg HS
Hat's Pick - Buffalo Gap
State Final Pick: Buffalo Gap over Eastside
