Phenom Hoop Report Re-caps the 11th Annual Virginia Preps Basketball Classic
Session II of the 11th Annual VAPreps Classic brought in a lineup of most of the 2018 state championship field! The event featured John Marshall and Varina who are defending state champions, Western Albemarle and Wakefield who were state championship finalists from a year ago and Edison who was a state semi finalist! Quite the assembly of teams coming from around the state to meet several Hampton Roads teams with state championship hopes themselves.
In Game One the Bethel Bruins hosted James Monroe High School who left Fredericksburg, VA at 7:30am for the two and a half hour trek to Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake VA and never seemed to get settled in shooting just 22% for the game (12-54) and losing to a young Bethel team 44-34. Usually a good three point shooting team led by sophomore guard Ricky Goode-Wright who came in averaging just under 20ppg and known for his three point accuracy and junior Tyler Whitman who was on a tear of late hitting twelve three pointers in the three games prior to this event, James Monroe struggled badly from beyond the arc connecting on just four of their 31 three point attempts in the game.
Without their shots falling and minus the services of 6'6 impact forward Girardi Cubillan, James Monroe found themselves struggling throughout unable to get on track. A bright spot on the day was the play of 6'6 forward Luol Chol who scored 13 points and hit both of his three point attempts in the game. Chol also had five blocked shots. Bethel didn't shoot much better connecting on just 17 of their 56 attempts but won the rebounding battle 49-35 thanks to a career high 18 rebound performance from 6'5 senior Jalen Palmer. Sophomore guard Jamarie Roundtree who was recently brought up from the junior varsity led Bethel with 9 points and has had two solid performances as their primary ball handler in both varsity games he has participated in this season. Aaron Chappell, freshman Joshua Askew and senior forward Jalen Palmer added seven points apiece. Palmer earned 'Player of the Game' honors with his 7 point, 18 rebound effort.
Game 2: Tallwood 41, Thomas Edison 28.
Tallwood really shoot the ball well all afternoon long hitting 51% for the game while their visitors from Fairfax VA misfired frequently falling behind 41-28 at the break and never seemed to find their way. Meanwhile a scrappy Tallwood defensive effort led by guard Kaleb Peterson and forward Calvin Thomas did a great job contesting shots and giving the Edison shooters little room to get a good look at the rim. Senior guards Evan White and Terrance Hackley led Tallwood's offensive charge scoring 19 points each and junior Kaleb Peterson contributed 15 points and six assists. Edison's leading scorer 5'11 junior guard Jared Clawson scored 36 points, two shy of the VAPreps Classic record and Jaden Ignacio (5'7 junior) added 18 points as that duo accounting for all but ten of the Edison points.
Game Three: Nansemond River 62, Wilson 50. The Nansemond River Warriors jumped to a ten point halftime lead and never looked back. With a 42-26 scoring advantage in the paint for the game Nansemond River's early advantage was never threatened as they were able to score inside with regularity and get out in transition frequently. Justin Fatherly has been solid for Nansemond River all year but especially has a knack for big performances in events such as this. Justin earned MVP honors after a 23 point, 5 rebound performance while teammate Jeremiah Lewis contributed 16 points and 8 rebounds. Solid team effort for the Warriors as twelve different players grabbed rebounds and eight different players scored! Wilson got 16 points from guard Keyon Stitt and 11 more from his backcourt mate James Prescott in the loss.
Game 4: Green Run 59, Western Albemarle 23. Green Run stifled Western Albemarle holding the visitors to just 3 second half field goals and 21.4% shooting (9-42 from the floor) in the game. Green Run got scoring from eleven different players led by Ashley James with 11 points and game MVP Karee Smith who had 10 points. George Wilson grabbed 10 rebounds and added 7 points and Stallions Head coach Kenny Harris had the opportunity to rest his starters much of the second half using 16 players, 11 of whom scored in the win! The Stallions led 15-11 after the opening quarter and held Western Albemarle without a point over the final 2:10 of the first half and pulled away.
Game 5: Varina 74, Norcom 51.
Varina led by 11 at the break and blew it wide open in the third outscoring Norcom 21-6 in the frame and built their lead to as many as 28 points late in that third quarter to cruise to the win. Anthony Williams scored 20 points to lead four Blue Devils in double figures. The sophomore added 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Kenard Richardson added 12 points and 12 rebounds as did Tyrese Jenkins while Jason Nelson chipped in with 11 points and 5 assists. Javion Majette scored 10 points and dished out four assists for Norcom.
Game six: John Marshall 69, Landstown 55.
John Marshall led by just two after three quarters but broke it open late thanks to a pair of three pointers from DeMarr McRae and a Jarius Ashlock three pointer during a 22-10 fourth quarter spurt in which John Marshall couldn't miss connecting on 6-10 shot attempts while Landstown struggled hitting just three of their 12 fourth quarter shot attempts. The Justices were led by unsigned 6'4 senior DeMarr McRae's 22 point, 7 rebound performance; he added 3 steals and a pair of blocked shots. Elijah Seward added 18 points while Jarius Ashlock and Levar Allen chipped in with 13 points each in the win. Landstown got 15 points from James Madison bound 6'5 senior Michael Christmas and 14 points from freshman sensation Donald Hand, Jr. who holds offers from Hampton and Penn State.
Game 7: Oscar Smith 85, Wakefield 46. 6'5 junior forward Karl Chavis scored 23 points, blocked 4 shots and had 4 steals to lead the host Tigers. Oscar Smith shot a blistering 60% for the game and connected on 11 of their 22 three point attempts. Chavis was 2-3 from deep, freshman sensation Kenyon Giles was 4-5 from beyond the arc and Kai Lockhart 3-5 as the Tigers put four players in double figures. Wakefield turned the ball over 23 times resulting in thirty points for the Tigers. In addition to Chavis's 23 points, Oscar Smith also got 13 from Kai Lockhart, 12 points from Kenyon Giles and 10 from Brehon Lambert. Rob Starkey led Wakefield with 16 points on a perfect 7-7 from the floor and 2-2 at the line.
Tomorrow we will featured the events top performers and introduce you to some exciting up and comers who made this event their breaking out party!
