VHSL Class 4 State Tournament Preview
It’s the final stretch of the high school season, as the brackets have been set for the six VHSL state tournaments. You can find the brackets with the matchups and locations here, and we’ll be looking at some previews to…
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Continue ReadingIt’s the final stretch of the high school season, as the brackets have been set for the six VHSL state tournaments. You can find the brackets with the matchups and locations here, and we’ll be looking at some previews to get everyone prepared for the busy week ahead.
Today, we look at the Class 4 tournament, featuring teams from all over the state. Below, you’ll see our pick for the champion, along with our dark horse candidates and some players to watch in the tournament.
Predicted Champion: King’s Fork
[player_tooltip player_id="787667" first="Jayden" last="Epps"] King’s Fork ’22The Bulldogs have been the pick from the beginning and they played an incredibly tough schedule all year to prepare themselves for this exact situation. They only have one senior in the rotation but they’re young, confident and talented and aren’t afraid of the big situations. They have talent at every position, good size and versatility and are well coached too.
Next Pick: Woodrow Wilson
Wilson fell to KF in the region championship but that doesn’t mean we can’t see them play each other again in the championship. Wilson is a very athletic and tough group that have run the gauntlet in the 757 and will be one of the only teams that can match up with KF athletically. They’re a team who can get it done on both ends and have good depth as well.
Dark Horse Candidates
Courtland
Nobody really talked about Courtland this year despite them being possibly the best team in the Fredericksburg area and they have some very talented pieces on their group. With them being relatively unknown it wouldn’t surprise me to see teams struggle with them as they likely haven’t been scouted very much, and they have terrific guards who get after it on both ends. They have a tough first round matchup with Wilson however.
Monacan
The Chiefs have been up and down all year but they always seem to pull it together late and qualify for states. They thought they’d have Virginia Tech commit Joe Bamisile Joe Bamisile 6'4" | SG Monacan | 2020 State #74 Nation VA but he opted to sit out the year after an early season injury, but they have a mix of experience, size and shot makers that will allow them to compete with anyone. They do have the unfortunate draw of playing King’s Fork in the first round after losing to Courtland in the Region B championship.
GW Danville
The reigning state champs had to replace a lot of production this year but they have done a decent job. They’re a physical and athletic group that get after it on both ends, share the basketball well and are well coached too.
Players to Watch
Khai Seargant Khai Seargant 5'11" | PG Chancellor | 2020 State VA | 5’10” PG | Courtland 2020
The Region C Player of the Year has been phenomenal for Courtland and is a big reason they’re in the spot they are after transferring from Massaponax this year. The 5’10” guard is tough as nails, lightning quick and can score from all over the floor off the bounce. He’s capable of exploding for big games whenever and could will them to a run.
Khaylil Davis | 6’6” PF | Woodrow Wilson 2020
A pogo stick of a big man, Davis plays with great energy on both ends of the floor and makes dynamic plays that bring energy to everyone on his team as well. He’s quick off his feet in the paint which allows him to rebound, protect the rim and get stick backs, and he can get up and down with his guards and play fast as well.
Carlos Poole | 6’2” G | GW Danville 2020
A two sport star that brings that football mentality to the basketball court as well, Poole is a two way impact guy who sets the tone for his group. He can play on or off the basketball, he typically guards the best player on the other team and he’s able to get downhill and finish in traffic easily.
Quentin Livingston Quentin Livingston 6'4" | SF Kings Fork | 2021 State VA | 6’4” WF | King’s Fork 2021
There are a lot of talented guys on KF, but Livingston’s versatility on both ends makes him very important to this group. He’s an athletic wing with good size and a solid skill set, he’s able to guard and play multiple positions, he rebounds well and he’s able to make plays whether he’s on or off the basketball as well.
Justyn Fernandez | 6’4” WG | Monacan 2021
Monacan is a pretty balanced group with a lot of guys that contribute but Fernandez is the one that’s capable of exploding for huge games. The 6’4” guard is a talented and athletic guy who can play on or off the basketball, scores it from multiple levels and is able to take over games with his scoring ability down the stretch.
James Prescott James Prescott 6'1" | CG Woodrow Wilson | 2021 PA | 6’1” G | Woodrow Wilson 2021
My kind of guard, Prescott is a combo guard that plays with a good IQ and great toughness and is able to do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor. He’s battled through some injuries this year but he’s the straw that stirs the drink as he handles the basketball and gets them into their sets, can score off the bounce when they need him to and he sets the tone defensively as well.
Jayden Epps Jayden Epps 6'1" | CG Combine Academy | 2022 State #41 Nation NC | 6’0” PG | King’s Fork 2022
One of the most talented young kids in the state, Epps has been phenomenal all season for the Bulldogs as he’s hung multiple 30 and 40 point games throughout the season and in doing so, has become a kid people love to hate. It’s hard to hate on his game though as he’s a strong and tough lead guard who controls the game, can score out to the 30 feet easily off the bounce and stays in attack mode all the time.