Jack’s VISAA Final Four Standouts (Part 2)
A big time weekend in Virginia high school basketball that brings scouts and college coaches from all over, the VISAA Final Four at Virginia State University is a must attend event for high school basketball fans. With nine games over…
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Continue ReadingA big time weekend in Virginia high school basketball that brings scouts and college coaches from all over, the VISAA Final Four at Virginia State University is a must attend event for high school basketball fans. With nine games over two days in three divisions, it’s a weekend of competitive basketball and a ton of talent from all over. Below, we have listed the results for each game as well as part two of a series of articles highlighting the many standouts from the weekend. Enjoy and stay tuned for more!
Friday Results
Game 1 (D3 Semifinal): Life Christian 69 Covenant 51
Game 2 (D3 Semifinal): Eastern Mennonite 64 Carmel School 62
Game 3 (D2 Semifinal): Blue Ridge 62 Middleburg 43
Game 4 (D2 Semifinal): Norfolk Collegiate 75 Highland School 71
Game 5 (D1 Semifinal): Paul VI 76 Trinity Episcopal 68
Game 6 (D1 Semifinal): St. Stephen’s St. Agnes 74 Episcopal 65
Saturday Results
Game 7 (D3 Championship): Life Christian 70 Eastern Mennonite 41
Game 8 (D2 Championship): Blue Ridge 78 Norfolk Collegiate 68
Game 9 (D1 Championship): Paul VI 67 St. Stephen’s St. Agnes 59
Standouts
Sasha Glushkov | 6’11” C | Blue Ridge 2020
The Russian big man stepped up in a big way in their championship win over Norfolk Collegiate, as he showed his mix of size, touch and athleticism that makes him one of the best available guys in the state. The 6’11” big played tough in the middle and smart on the perimeter, and he was aggressive when he got touches showing some back to the basket moves as well. He finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds in their championship win.
William Lee | 5’10” G | Blue Ridge 2020
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Lee has been instant offense all season and he was that in both games, but he also was their top perimeter defender who guarded the other team’s best scorer in both games as well. The 5’10” combo guard is lightning quick and tough as nails, and he’s a guy who can hit shots from deep whether he’s open or not. In their semifinal win over Middleburg he had 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, and he had 17 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds in their championship win over Norfolk Collegiate.
Mike Gray | 6’1” PG | Blue Ridge 2021
Mike Gray BRThe junior point guard has been the heart and soul of the team all season long and nothing changed on the way to their second straight state title. In their semifinal win over Middleburg, Gray was all over the place as he showed his ability to score off the bounce scoring 13 points, but also was a big time rebounder leading the team with 14 rebounds at just about 6’1” as well. In the championship game against Norfolk Collegiate, he was in attack mode all game getting in the paint and getting to the line a lot, finishing with 18 points and 7 rebounds in that win. He’s going to be a guy that should get a lot of attention this summer from college coaches.
Derrick Jones | 6’4” WF | Blue Ridge 2021
Jones played well in spurts in their semifinal win over Middleburg finishing with five points on just three shots, but in the championship game he stepped up big time in the second half. The 6’4” wing is a freak athlete who showed it with some big rebounds and acrobatic finishes, but he also showed that he can knock down shots from deep as well. He finished with 12 points, scoring all of them in the second half, and grabbed 6 rebounds, showing he’ll be an important part for Blue Ridge moving forward.
Maliq Brown | 6’8” PF/C | Blue Ridge 2022
Brown is quickly becoming one of the top young prospects in the state and he showed the local scene that with some big time performances in both games. In their blowout win over Middleburg, he showed his ability to run the floor with the guards and showed tremendous hands and finishing ability as well. In the championship game, he was a monster in the paint owning the glass and swatting shots left and right. He finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in their semifinal win, and had 9 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in their championship win.
Jordan Battle | 6’3” G | Norfolk Collegiate 2020
Despite coming up short in the championship game against Blue Ridge, Battle was the talk of the weekend because so many people don’t understand how he doesn’t have more offers for the next level. The 6’3” guard showed a little of everything, his ability to create and score it off the bounce, he shot it well from deep, he made good decisions with the ball in his hands and made athletic plays around the rim and on the glass. He finished with 34 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in their semifinal win over Highland School and had 28 points and 6 assists in their loss to Blue Ridge.
Tristan How | 6’5” F | Norfolk Collegiate 2020
The other senior star for NoCo, How didn’t have his best game in the championship game against Blue Ridge but he was huge in their win over Highland School. The 6’5” forward banged in the paint well, showed his ability to run the floor and put it on the deck and showed good athleticism both at the rim and on the defensive end. He finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 4 steals against Highland.
Samuel Brannen | 5’10” G | Norfolk Collegiate 2023
You can’t ask for much more from a freshman on the biggest stage of the year than what Brannen gave Norfolk Collegiate. A highly skilled and smart guard for his age, he came up big with some tough shots and didn’t back down from anyone on either end of the floor. He finished with 13 points and 4 rebounds in their semifinal win over Highland and chipped in 7 points and 4 rebounds in their loss to Blue Ridge.