2016 StatVA Classic

StatVA in partnership with Quanitra Hollingsworth is proud to announce that the 2016 StatVA Classic will be returning to Highland Springs High School for two days of exciting girls basketball action.

The StatVA Classic has become the premiere event for viewing girls’ basketball in the state of Virginia the last six seasons. Due to the high demand of quality teams wanting to participate in the event once again, the event will be held over a two-day period.

StatVA is also proud to announce a continued partnership with the HCS Media network for radio coverage and Ball Access for live streaming of the games. Please feel free to contact event director Michael Whittington (mwhittington@statva.com) or 757-202-5974 for more details.

Below you find the schedule, team information, and ticket prices.

Last season Coach Adam Layton’s Midlothian Trojans played 4A state champion and conference and district rival Monacan five times splitting the first four before falling by 8 in the state championship game. This years Midlothian team looks different, but what remains is star Jr. Tina Lindenfeld (17ppg and 8rpg) who holds offers from the likes of George Mason, Longwood, and Radford. Complimenting Lindenfeld in the Trojan lineup is sophomore and second leading scorer Nia Lloyd (10ppg) Coach Michael Rawlings Atlee team enters the event behind capable scorer Sr. G/F Ashley Weaver (20ppg) a first team all conference performer a season ago. Weaver entered the season with 900 points and will be well over 1000 points early in the season if she continues at the pace she set a season ago. Atlee also returns 2nd team all conference Junior F/C Alyse Armentrout (13 ppg) to give Atlee a nice inside outside scoring tandem. This game will feature two teams that made a couple of upsets last season in the playoffs in making a deep postseason run and will look to do the same in 2016.

Coach Mollie Pawlowski’s JR Tucker team saw their postseason run come to an end early in the conference semifinals as Midlothian defeated them en route to their finals run. Back for Tucker are four starters including Sr. Annemarie Beran (16ppg and 8rpg) Beran gets scoring help from fellow Sr. Tiera Johnson (13ppg and 6apg) to help lead the scoring. The player Coach Pawlowski will look for in the middle to provide rebound and shot blocking is Jr. Lovie Harden (10ppg 8rpg 4bpg). William Fleming is no stranger to a grueling schedule and postseason success. In the past three post seasons Fleming has been eliminated by the team that would go on to win the state championship in either the state semifinals or finals including a 2 point loss to Monacan in last years semifinals. Fleming is no stranger to the StatVA Classic as they split both of their games last season in the event. This years Fleming squad will be lead by holdovers Jr. Malury Bates a wiry and athletic big who is a shot blocking and rebounding force at 6’3 and smooth shooting guard Que King two players that have state tournament experience. Coach Champ Hubbard has established a culture of winning at the Roanoke school and they will look to return to Richmond in March.

Coach Tamika Dudley and the Woodbridge Vikings will make their StatVA Classic debut this season with arguably the most dynamic backcourt in the event. Woodbridge will feature 5’9 guard Asia McCants (15ppg) all conference junior Hanna Oliver who is a pure shooter, and quick sophomore Paris McBride who can handle the ball but is deadly if left open. A season ago Woodbridge won 17 games, but the player on the roster with the a lot of upside is speedy freshman guard Camryn Platt-Morris who is very athletic and can get to the rim with ease. John Marshall was a controversial foul call away from playing for the state title in 3A a season ago. Coach Richardson who was the 3A East Coach of the Year returns first team all state performer Senior Naterria Luster. The Lady Justices returned 3 starters off the team that defeated another 6A opponent Western Branch in the StatVA Classic a year ago in overtime a game in which Luster was named the MVP of that game for her nine point 19 rebound effort.

Like Midlothian in 4A, Broadway played district and conference foe Tuner Ashby five times a season ago splitting the first four meetings before falling in the state finals. Broadway participates in arguably the toughest conference in 3A as it features Spotswood and Turner Ashby teams responsible for the last four 3A titles. Junior PG Ally Repko who is the catalyst for the uptempo style Coach Bobby Mongold runs spearheads the Gobblers attack. Shooting guard Chrissy Delawder who knocked down a school record seven three pointers in a game this season. Hannah MacDonald a Sr. guard returns from an ACL injury that occurred in June and is slated to play her college basketball at Christopher Newport. Colonial Forge lost star PG Nia Washington to a transfer (Riverdale Baptist) but gained a star transfer in 6’4 sophomore Shakira Austin from James Monroe who was a first all state performer last season as a freshman. Joining Austin will be returners Camille Downs (2nd), Olivia Gaither (HM), and Tekeyra Brown (2nd) all of which received All-Conference 4 honors last season. Coach Lashaun Cook will to improve on the 18-5 record from a season ago with the weapons that she has at her disposal, and make another run at 6A state Champion Cosby who has defeated them the last two seasons.

A season ago Henrico started the season off 19-1 before dropping their final three games to finish the campaign in the conference tournament and without a regional berth. Henrico returns double-double machine Hakilah Hudson who was name first team all conference a season ago. McKenzie Spencer another first team all conference performer for Henrico returns with two other starters to give Henrico a solid core leading to this season and a lot of players for Coach Rodney Wilson with a bad taste left in their mouths from the end of the 2014-2015 season. Tuscarora made a run to the 5A state semifinals a season ago where they were dispatched by state power Princess Anne in a deer in headlights kind of performance. The school located in Lessburg, VA is still young and had the best season in school history. Gone is all state player Alexis Bailey, but returning for Coach Michael Newkirk is 5’9 senior G/F Chloe Roach (16ppg 6rpg) who was an all conference and all region performer a year ago. Sophomore Kennedy Middleton was all conference last season as a freshman and will be looked upon to for a larger role this season. The versatile player is a premium defender and can get to the rim and finish well for her 5’8 frame.

Lake Taylor Head Coach Saundra Sawyer is a three time state championship winning coach (2010, 2013-14) who saw her quest for a third straight state title come to an end in a hard fought game at eventual champion Monacan last season. This seasons Lady Titan squad will feature a mix of old and new as senior guard Carlesha Farris was a part of two state championship squads, but will have the responsibility of helping newer players such as Junajah Somerville an All-Tidewater performer a season ago at Granby get accustomed to the uptempo attacking style of Lake Taylor. RJ Reynolds from Winston-Salem return to the StatVA Classic for a second year in a row. Last season Reynolds blitzed Osbourn Park behind the play of junior guard Tierra Wilson (23ppg) who was named the game MVP after leading the balanced team effort in the win. This season Reynolds graduated a lot of firepower from a squad that lost to nationally ranked Myers Park in the state semifinals and finished 27-1. Reynolds does return star sophomore Amari Cuthberson who finished with eight points and six rebounds off the bench in 12 minutes in action last season. This season Cuthberson (18ppg) is the second leading scorer on the team and provides Reynolds with a formidable 1-2 punch.

Stonewall Jackson stayed atop the 6A rankings last season for majority of the season before a stunning defeat in the first round of the regional tournament at the hands of Fairfax. Gone off that team are Rachel Burns (Charleston So.) and Sydney Jordan (Princeton) but returning is first team all state performer Genesis Parker (23ppg) who is committed to Virginia Tech. Makayla Nichols was an all conference performer a year a go and returner Megan Callahan will need to step up to keep defenses from focusing solely on stopping Parker. Forest Trail Academy is coached by Former NBA and Wake Forest star Delaney Rudd whose team finished ranked in the top 25 nationally in a couple of polls a season ago. Forest Trail will be lead by Lucky Rudd (ranked #78 in ESPN top 100) an NC State signee and daughter of the head coach. Last season Rudd led Forest Trail Academy (formerly New Hope Christian Academy) to NISAA National Championship win to finish the season 29-2. This season three players’ average double figures led by junior Leah Church and Rudd (both 12ppg) and senior Timber Tate (11ppg and 5rpg)

Edison and veteran coach Dianne Lewis return two first-team all state performers in guards Megan Hendrick (UMASS-Lowell signee) and Jada Graves (Elon signee). Both players were All Met a season ago with Graves (20ppg) being first team and Hendrick (15ppg) being HM. Edison is 3x defending Northern Region champion and will look to win the region once again and make it to the state finals after falling the last three years in the semifinals. Edison will look to get over the hump this season and finally play for a chance to win the 5A state championship. Cosby also returns two first-team all state performers in state player of the year and leading scorer Jocelyn Jones (UNC signee) and F/C and leading rebounder Tyra Whitehead (Wake Forest signee). Cosby plays in the hardest district in the Richmond area in the Dominion district with the likes of 4A runner up Midlothian, 4A Champion Monacan, and 5A runner up LC Bird. Cosby will once again be battle tested and ready for another deep postseason run.

Last season Western Branch coach Troy Terry welcomed star Khiana Johnson (16ppg 4rpg 5apg 6spg) a stat sheet filler and center Jazmine Johnson (16ppg 11rpg) who has averaged a double-double the last two season. Western Branch is a well-balanced team with Kerticia Brown (11ppg 7rpg), Cierra Cook (12ppg up from 3ppg a season ago) and Maya Andrews (9ppg and 8rpb). Coach Troy Terry has one of the top teams in the South Hampton Roads area that will be battling to make noise in the 6A playoffs behind Johnson who has already signed to Radford. LC Bird made an improbable run to the state finals where they lead state heavyweight Princess Anne majority of the game before falling. But, gone from that team a season ago is All-American and Louisville star Taja Cole. The talent at Bird is far from gone as quick guard Madison Baum (9ppg 3spg) returns with first team all conference guard Angela Caraballo (18ppg 7spg 4rpg) and 2nd team all conference performer Kaaliya Williams (14ppg and 7rpg) Caraballo in addition to being a solid point guard is a hard nosed defender for the Skyhawks who play great team defense.

The nightcap will feature 6A state runner-up now 5A Bethel Bruins led by first team all state performer Alexsis Grate (16ppg) who last season was the Daily Press Girls Basketball Player of the Year has signed with George Mason. Grate’s backcourt mate Nyra Williams (15ppg) was 2nd team all state a season ago has signed with VCU. Bethel uses a small ball lineup that likes to trap and run. Bethel fell in the finals to Cosby last season by a single point as they got out and outran Cosby for most of the night. Highland Springs likes to trap, run, gun, but has size on the inside. Led by junior guard CeCe Crudup (18ppg) who was all state a season ago and fielding offers fro UVA, VCU, W&M, Temple, Richmond, and many more. Her running mate is fellow junior guard Jennifer Coleman (17 ppg) and is fielding offers from Navy, Furman, George Mason, and others. Two Springers have already decided on their college homes 6’2 post Cam Gatling (15ppg 12rpg) has committed to George Mason and 5’10 Taya Bolden (15ppg 15rpg) has signed with Campbell University. Highland Springs returns four starters from last season and will look to make it back to the state finals where they were two years ago after a setback last season. Franklin Harris’ bunch will see a team in Bethel that mirrors their team and it should make for a high scoring and entertaining nightcap to the event.