Take a look back at the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic, featuring some of the top teams and players around the state.
We caught up with players and coaches from the event following wins to discuss their squads, recruiting of some prospects and much more.
Get the full reaction in interviews from both sessions - Saturday, January 11 at Green Run High in Virginia Beach and Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Churchland High in Portsmouth - below...
SESSION 2 from Saturday, January 25 at Churchland ...
Steward Coach Curt Kassab after win over Great Bridge:
Steward School Head Basketball Coach Curt Kassab chats after 60-39 win over Great Bridge in the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
Kassab's Spartans, who earlier in the season won the Times-Dispatch Invitational Tournament, moved to 18-3 overall. They led 13-10 at the end of the first quarter and 29-20 at the break before using a 29-12 burst in the second half to put the Wildcats away.
MVP - Steward's Efton Reid:
Steward School 7-footer Efton Reid chats following his team's 60-39 triumph over Great Bridge in the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
Rated a five-star in the Class of 2021, Reid put forth a dominant performance with 31 points on 14-of-16 shooting from the field, a perfect 3-for-3 at the foul line, plus collected 11 rebounds and 5 blocks to earn MVP honors. This came with an assistant coach from the reigning National Championship in attendance.
With his 31 points, Reid became just the fifth player in the 12-year history of the event to score 30 or more points. His 31 tied Kecoughtan grad Rodney Bullock, who went on to play College Basketball at Providence, for the fourth most ever at the VaPreps Classic.
Led by Reid, the Spartans improved to 18-3 overall on the 2019-20 campaign.
Churchland Coach Mike Holland after win over Osbourn Park:
Churchland Head Basketball Coach Mike Holland chats after his team's 68-39 win over Osbourn Park at the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
The host Truckers used a 17-2 first quarter run out of the gate to seize command and never looked back.
Holland's Truckers moved to 10-9 since the Eastern District Tournament and 9-8 in ratings scale games on the 2019-20 campaign as they look to make a push at a second straight State Tournament bid out of Region 4A.
MVP - Churchland's Sage McLellan:
Western Albemarle Coach Darren Maynard after win over Nansemond River:
Western Albemarle Head Basketball Coach Darren Maynard discusses his team's 54-49 win over Nansemond River during the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
Maynard's Warriors overcame a 38-31 second half deficit, going on a 19-5 run to grab control against Nansemond River.
With the win, Western Albemarle moved to 13-4 overall.
MVP - Western Albemarle's Tommy Mangrum:
Varina's Kenneth Randolph after win over Lake Taylor:
Varina Head Basketball Coach Kenneth Randolph chats following his team's 60-57 comeback win over Lake Taylor during the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
The Blue Devils trailed by as many as eight points, but outscored Lake Taylor 18-8 in the final frame to get the win over the Titans in a matchup of two programs that both won State Championships in 2018. Varina won the Class 5 title in '18, while Lake Taylor won the Class 4 crown that same season.
MVP - Varina's Alphonzo Billups:
North Stafford's Steve Hibberd after win over Menchville:
North Stafford Head Basketball Coach Steve Hibberd chats following his team's 57-52 victory over Menchville during the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
Menchville came in at 12-1 overall, ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 4 and riding a seven-game winning streak. North Stafford limited them to 1-of-16 shooting from behind the arc outscored the Monarchs 20-8 in points off turnovers.
With the win, North Stafford improved to 10-4 overall.
MVP - North Stafford's Elisha Brown:
Western Branch's Paul Hall after win over L.C. Bird
Western Branch Head Basketball Coach Paul Hall chats following his team's 56-39 victory during the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
The Bruins, now the top-ranked squad in the state in Class 6, jumped out to a 20-10 lead after one quarter of play and never trailed. Remarkably, they outscored Bird 26-0 in points off turnovers.
Western Branch upped its record to 12-3 overall following the victory, while the Skyhawks dropped to 11-4 overall with the defeat.
MVP - Western Branch's Bobby Johnson:
John Marshall's Ty White after win over Oscar Smith:
John Marshall Head Basketball Coach Ty White chats after his team's 78-66 comeback win over Oscar Smith during the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
In a matchup of teams that reached the State Semifinals a year ago, John Marshall had to overcome a torrid shooting night by the Tigers. Oscar Smith, which entered 11-3 overall, shot a blistering 58.8% from three-point range and made 9-of-11 to start from long distance.
Ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 2, the Justices erased a 10-point deficit and outscored Oscar Smith 31-19 in the fourth quarter to improve to 14-2 overall. They remain undefeated against in-state competition.
MVP - John Marshall's Roosevelt Wheeler:
SESSION 1 from Saturday, January 11 at Green Run ...
First Colonial Coach Mark Butts after win over Grafton:
First Colonial Head Basketball Coach Mark Butts chats following his team's 47-43 win over Grafton in the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
Butts, in his final season at the helm of the Patriots, discusses his team's 8-3 mark and key contributors to this point in the campaign.
MVP - First Colonial's Adrian Shaw:
Kellam Coach Norman Hassell after win over Bethel:
Kellam Head Basketball Coach Norman Hassell chats following a 49-46 win over Bethel at the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
Hassell's Knights are now 7-1 all-time at the VaPreps Classic. They beat a Bethel team that entered 6-3 overall on a buzzer-beater.
With the win, Kellam is now 4-8 overall on the 2019-20 campaign.
MVP - Kellam's Luke Hutchinson:
Oscar Smith Coach LaVar Griffin after win over Henrico:
Oscar Smith Head Basketball Coach LaVar Griffin chats following his team's 63-55 comeback win over Henrico in the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
The Tigers trailed at the end of the first quarter, second quarter and third quarter, but closed the final stanza on a 20-11 spurt to prevail.
Oscar Smith improved to 9-2 overall with nine straight victories. The loss dropped Henrico to 10-2 overall.
MVP - Oscar Smith's Andre Bottoms:
Cape Henry Coach Mark Hall after win over Fairfax:
Cape Henry Head Coach Mark Hall chats following his team's 59-48 victory over Fairfax in the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
The Dolphins overcame an early 14-11 deficit after one period of play by outscoring the Rebels 35-15 over the next 16 minutes to seize control.
With the win, Cape Henry moved to 9-3 overall, the same record for Fairfax following the loss.
MVP - Cape Henry's Greg Melvin:
Norview Coach Ricardo Foster after win over South County:
Norview Head Basketball Coach Ricardo Foster chats after his team's 61-44 win over previously undefeated South County during the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
It was a matchup between teams ranked No. 1 in the latest state rankings; Norview checked in atop the Class 5 poll and South County atop the Class 6 ratings.
The Pilots improved to 14-1 overall, including 11-1 since the Eastern District Tournament. With the loss, South County fell to 12-1 overall.
MVP - Norview's Jahn Hines:
Blue Ridge Coach Cade Lemcke after win over Landstown:
Blue Ridge Head Basketball Coach Cade Lemcke chats after his team's 72-53 triumph over Landstown during the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic held at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
It was a matchup of defending State Champions as Blue Ridge won a VISAA Division II private school title last winter, while Landstown won the VHSL Class 6 crown.
Blue Ridge led from start to finish in pushing their record to 11-3 overall.
MVP - Blue Ridge's Michael Gray:
King's Fork Coach Rick Hite after win over Green Run:
King's Fork Head Basketball Coach Rick Hite chats after his team's 70-64 win over host Green Run in the 12th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
Playing in front of yet another sellout crowd, the Bulldogs jumped out to the early lead and eventually built a 21-point margin before the Stallions closed within four with under a minute to play. King's Fork converted eight straight free-throws in the final 54 seconds.
Ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 4, King's Fork upped its record to 10-1 overall. The Stallions - ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 5 - fell to 11-2 overall.
MVP - King's Fork's Quentin Livingston:
Reese Becker contributed to this report by conducting the player video interviews.
