10 Best: VISAA Championship Day
It was the first state championships to be handed out, so the pressure and emotion was huge from the beginning. While none of the games were particularly close, it still was an entertaining and great day of basketball. In the first game of the day, Williamsburg Christian beat Amelia Academy for the Division Three Championship. Next, Blue Ridge rolled past rival Miller School in their fifth matchup of the year for the Division Two Championship. Finally, in the main event, Trinity Episcopal finished off their remarkable year by defeating WCAC powerhouse and #1 seed Paul VI for the Division One Championship. Here’s some of the standouts from the great day of hoops.
MVP/Best Offensive Performer | Zach Jacobs | TES ’17
Jacobs picked a great time to have the game of his life, scoring 38 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in Trinity’s State Championship win. The much improved forward showed everything he’s worked on the past four years. hitting five big threes and running the floor to finish in transition. He made big shots when they needed him to, attacked the glass hard on both ends and caused mismatch problems all night. If he can continue to improve, he’ll be a force in the CAA for JMU the next four seasons.
Best Defensive Performer | Josh Colon | Blue Ridge ’17
Toughness personified in the 5’8″ point guard of Blue Ridge who was named VIC Player of the Year and will likely be named VISAA Division 2 Player of the Year. He finished with an impressive 17 points and four assists in their blowout win over rival Miller School, but it was his intensity defensively that was most impressive. Despite his size, Colon takes pride in getting up under ball handlers and making them uncomfortable. Whether on or off the ball he plays great defense, and finished with five steals and took at least three charges on the game. The available PG will be a steal for whomever takes him.
Best Intangibles| Jason Wade | TES ’18
Wade has been impressive all year, the way he’s played this season has him looking like a possible high major prospect. He did a great job using his size and athleticism to take care of the basketball and create for others, and he’s also a lock down defender that can guard any perimeter position. He finished with 14 points and 11 assists on the night despite dealing with foul trouble, and his poise with the ball in his hands continues to impress both scouts and college coaches across the board.
Best Under the Radar Performer | Cle’Von Greene | WCA ’18
What else does this kid have to do to pull more offers? The 6’2″ combo guard did everything that the Eagles needed of him in their postseason run, and he can proudly call himself a state champion. He led the Eagles across the board in scoring, assists and rebounds on the season, and he showed his athletic playmaking ability both with the ball in his hands and off the ball. He’ll be on the EYBL with BWSL this summer, and if he can play with the impact he did this season he’ll pick up a ton of college interest.
Best Guy off the Bench | Matt Nelson | Trinity Episcopal ’17
Talk about stepping up big, Trinity’s reserve guard did so by hitting all three of his three-point attempts, two of which came at crucial moments in the fourth quarter. With star big man Armando Bacot on the bench with foul trouble and PVI making a run, Nelson hit back-to-back three’s from the corner when left open making PVI pay. It was something he had done all season, but the shots he made were the biggest of his career and crucial to the Titan’s state championship.
Best Underclassman | Armando Bacot | TES ’19
Bacot has blown up this season by being one of the most consistent big men in the state, and he had a great state tournament performance against two WCAC teams many thought Trinity couldn’t beat. He battled with foul trouble throughout the game, but that didn’t deter him from being aggressive when he was in the game. He finished with 25 points and seven rebounds in around 20 or so minutes, and he showed great hands and touch in traffic throughout the game.
Best Underclassman Pt. 2 | Jeremy Roach | PVI ’20
Roach is considered the best freshman point guard in Virginia, and the way he played in the state championship game may have solidified himself there. He made a ton of tough plays that most senior guards couldn’t make, and he showed his ability to create shots in isolation situations. Offensively he showed the whole array of moves, and he has that “it” factor that many of the top guards in the WCAC have. He finished with 16 points on the night.
Best Floor General | Aaron Thompson | PVI ’17
The Pitt commit may not be the best shooter or scorer, but he’s tough and a true coach on the floor. When they needed a bucket late, Thompson either attacked in transition and got a quick one, or he sucked the defense in and made the right read to get his teammates a good look. He’s the type of player that can settle the troops, make the right play call without the coach telling him and he has a terrific feel for the game. He finished with 12 points and 9 assists on the night.
Best Versatile Big Man | Aamir Simms | Blue Ridge ’17
The Clemson commit was dominant in their blowout of Miller School, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks on the game. He ran the floor like a gazelle, finished above the rim, hit the midrange jump shot and protected the rim on the defensive end. His improvement over the past few years is as much as anyone, and he’ll be a factor in the ACC if he continues to improve and show his versatility.
Best All Around Wing | Brandon Slater | PVI ’18
Slater was a stud despite the loss, and he had to guard players out of his position all weekend long. He showed athleticism in transition, the ability to put it on the floor and create his own shot and showed deep range on his jump shot. He’s continued to improve after showing promise, and he continually steps up in big games and big situations. He finished 18 points and seven rebounds in their loss.