15th Annual VaPreps Basketball Classic - Schedule & Session 1 Preview

The 15th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic is ready for liftoff with two days of exciting action on Saturday, January 20 and Saturday, January 27, 2024 at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach.

A total of 20 teams will be competing in 10 games on the two days in what has becomely widely considered the state's premier prep showcase.

We'll have coverage from the event along with updates provided via 'X' or Twitter as some still refer to it, plus footage from the games for premium subscribers and interviews as well.

11 AM - Franklin vs. Kellam

12:45 PM - Lancaster vs. Peninsula Catholic

3:30 PM - Gainesville vs. Cape Henry

5 PM - Forest Park vs. Catholic

6:30 PM - Tunstall vs. Oscar Smith

8 PM - Monacan vs. Kempsville

3 PM - West Springfield vs. Kecoughtam

5 PM - West Potomac vs. King's Fork

6:30 PM - Varina vs. Green Run

8 PM - Maury vs. Landstown

Purchase Tickets for Session 1 via GoFan Here

Purchase Tickets for Session 2 via GoFan Here

Franklin - At 9-4 overall to start the week and ranked No. 7 in the state in Class 1, the Broncos reached the State Tournament quarterfinals a season ago and are led by Chaevon Torrance, who has hit for 20-plus points on ten different occasions through 13 games this season with seven double-doubles. That included 26 points and 14 rebounds against Lakeland as well as 24 points and 11 boards vs. Lafayette.

Kellam - Entering the week at 7-3 overall, Norm Hassell's Knights have been steady this season, notching close wins over Beach District counterparts Cox and Green Run to give them a chance to secure one of the top seeds for the Region 5A playoffs in February. Their three losses to Kempsville, Landstown and Princess Anne are by a collective nine points. They are led by guards Alex Ethridge, a junior who was a VaPreps Classic MVP recipient in last year's win over Nansemond-Suffolk Academy at Virginia Wesleyan, and freshman Trey Barnhart, who scored 23 points in his debut vs. First Colonial [watch our Video Interview with Barnhart and Ethridge after their win over Green Run here].

Lancaster - The Red Devils went a perfect 29-0 last year, winning the VHSL Class 1 State Championship. They entered the week at 9-1 overall. Junior guard Troy Henderson was the Class 1 State Player of the Year during the 2022-23 campaign and earlier this month had a monster game with 32 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a win over Northampton. Henderson holds offers from College of Charleston, Mount St. Mary's, Ohio and Radford. He recently became the all-time leading scorer in Lancaster history.

Peninsula Catholic - Coach Trevor Dorsey's Knights have won eight of its last ten, including four in a row. The Knights feature point guard E.J. Joyner, who committed on Sunday to play basketball at Hampton University, coached by his father, Edward 'Buck' Joyner. The younger Joyner is putting up 16 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals per game for a PC team that began the week at 10-7 overall before playing four games in five days. Joyner had a school-record 42 points in a victory this week as well.

Cape Henry - It has not been a typical season for Mark Hall (260 wins, three VISAA Championships) and the Dolphins, yet they led Green Run at half-time before falling 70-62 this past weekend at the MABC Showcase and they have a good track record at the VaPreps Classic. In seven previous appearances in the event, the Dolphins are 5-2, which includes a 59-45 win over Maury at Virginia Wesleyan last year behind 19 points and nine rebounds from MVP recipient Sebastian Whitfield. The 6-foot-6 Whitfield is a D-1 prospect with an offer from Old Dominion.

Gainesville - Coach Justin Powers has Gainesville, in just its third year of existence, competing well with a 10-6 overall record to start the week. His roster features eight juniors and just three seniors, one of whom is 5-foot-10 guard Noah Arterbery. In a win over Independence, he scored 19 points. The Cardinals are averaging 56.1 points per game and allowing 52.8 PPG.

Catholic - Bobby Steinburg's Crusaders won their ninth game in a row last weekend, beating St. Christopher's out of Richmond, 62-58. Starting the week at 11-4 overall, Catholic has a balanced attack with four players averaging in double-figure points with junior Ashton Walker (18.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.3 APG), senior Brayden Thorne (15.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG), senior Josiah Rickards (13.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG) and junior Alex Pissis (13.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG). Rickards shined in last year's VaPreps Classic, earning MVP honors with 23 points on 5-7 shooting from three-point land with seven steals and five assists after their 79-52 win over Green Run at Virginia Wesleyan.

Forest Park - Ranked as high as No. 6 in the state at the Class 6 level, the Bruins are trying to get back to the State Tournament after falling last year in the quarterfinals to Oscar Smith. They entered the week at 9-3 overall, highlighted by close wins over TCIS contender Steward and Cardinal District rival Potomac. This team has size, too, with six players listed at 6-foot-4 or taller. Senior 6'3" guard Dekevion 'DK' Moore is averaging 25 points per game in January, including 27 points in that win over Potomac. Moore went over 1000 career points earlier this week.

Tunstall - DeMarcus Morrison's Trojans are riding high, starting the week at 14-0 overall, averaging 74.7 points per game. Tunstall is ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 3, behind only Lake Taylor and Spotswood, and opened eyes back in December by beating Rustburg 69-41 to win the Northside Invitational Holiday Tournament. Every win has been by double-digits thus far. Senior 6-foot-4 forward Jamarcus Brown is their headliner, averaging 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in the month of January. Brown erupted for 34 points when the Trojans put up a school-reord 116 points in a romp of Chatham.

Oscar Smith - After falling to Hampton 65-60 in overtime last weekend at the MABC Showcase at Atlantic Shores, the Tigers are unbeaten no more. Yet, they are still considered one of the favorites in Class 6 with a record of 9-1 overall to begin the week. Multi-sport standout Travis Johnson had 20 points in the loss to the Crabbers. Ulysses Young was the MVP in the George Long Holiday Classic that the Tigers won over Wakefield back in late December, where they rolled 62-46 behind 17 assists on 24 field goals.

Kempsville - Reaching the regional semifinals each of the past three seasons, the Chiefs are hoping this is the year they take that next step under Darren Sanderlin (287 wins entering the Classic), who is inching closer to 300 career victories. Six seniors dot the roster for a Kempsville team that comes into the event at 10-3 overall, winners of five straight. During that win streak, 6-foot-1 senior guard/forward Emmanuel Angila is averaging 18.8 points per game.

Monacan - Like Kempsville, Monacan is nicknamed the Chiefs and many fans remember their wild comeback win over Lake Taylor in the 4A State Championship back in 2016. Coach R.J. Spelsberg sees lots of potential in his sophomore class, but also has a dynamic senior in guard Sam Sims, who is filling up the stat sheet. Sims had 32 points, nine rebounds and five steals in a double-overtime win over James River this season, plus had 30 points and 11 rebounds against Douglas Freeman.

For updates, Follow @VaPrepsClassic on X