AAA Hoops Playoff Primer
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>We start the week with 56 AAA teams for Boys and Girls
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Basketball in Virginia all with the goal of trying to get to the State Tournament.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> In eight days, we will have narrowed the
field down to just eight squads - - two from each region in the Central, East,
North and Northwest.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>It's the most exciting time of year if you're a Hoops
fan and VirginiaPreps.com has you covered with Wall-to-Wall Coverage when it
comes to Previews, Game Recaps, Postgame Interviews, Live Blogs, Score Updates
on Twitter, Interactive Message Boards for you the fans to get involved, and
Photo Features.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Below is a Guide on the Storylines to watch for in each
region . . .
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
Eastern Region:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Parity:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Talk
to the coaches across Tidewater and they'll quickly tell you that this year's
tournament is "as wide open," as they can ever remember.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Nobody comes in undefeated.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> No one enters as the prohibited
favorite. Sure, there are teams that
figure to be in the mix like Landstown,
class=SpellE>Kecoughtan, Menchville, Hampton
and some others. But the one sure
prediction seems to be that it'll be unpredictable series of days at the Scope.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Classic Coaching Matchup:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>They
don't come much better than the one with #3 seed Maury taking on #2 seed
Nansemond River. It pits two guys that
used to go at back in the early 1990's in the Eastern District with NR's
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Ed Young, who coached at Norview then,
and longtime Maury sideline boss Jack
Baker. Together, they've combined for
over 1000 career wins, and Baker will be seeking victory #650 in this one.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Who's the Dominant Player?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The
Peninsula District features a trio of stars from the Class of 2013 in Hampton
guard Anthony 'Big Cat' Barber,
class=SpellE>Kecoughtan forward
normal'>Rajay Bullock (who's
battling an ankle injury) and Phoebus forward
normal'>Troy Williams. Also, there
are future Big East players in Maury's Jamal
Ferguson and Kecoughtan's
normal'>Josh Fortune, headed to Marquette and Providence respectively.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Which individual will step up and carry his
team through the playoffs, though?
Guards often make their presence felt in the postseason, so be on the
look out for Landstown's quartet of
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>D.J. Roberson,
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Sedric
normal'> Nady,
normal'>Tim Marshall and
normal'>Tyri
class=SpellE>Morring as well as Nansemond River's duo in
class=SpellE>Dontrell
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'> Brite and
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Shannon Evans, plus Great Bridge point
class=SpellE>Taj
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'> Owens and Norcom
floor general Devin Patterson.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Who's Not Here:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Two
marquee names that'll be missing from this year's tourney are Bethel swingman
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Aaron Bacote
and Kellam small forward
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Ramone
normal'> Snowden.
class=SpellE>Bacote will play his College Basketball at Old Dominion,
while Snowden still has another year to go.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Two-Sport Star Spotlight:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Signed
to play his College Football at the University of Virginia, Green Run's
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Mark Hall did something that not many
people expected him to do and that's win Beach District Player of the Year with
21 double-doubles in 24 games. Is Hall
good enough to get the Stallions past the first round?
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> That'll be the task he faces.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
New Kids on the Block:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>There
are some teams missing from the 16-team dance we anticipated seeing like
Bethel, Booker T. Washington and Oscar Smith just to name a few.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> It's that kind of year in the Eastern Region,
however, where there's parity as well as depth.
Seven squads are in regionals from the East that weren't a season ago in
Norview, Western Branch, Green Run, First Colonial, King's Fork, Hampton and
Bayside. In the cases of Western Branch
and Green Run, they made quantum leaps after not even qualifying for the
district playoffs in 2010-11.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Momentum:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>There's
nothing like momentum and right now the three teams that are streaking into the
tourney are Landstown, Menchville
and Norcom.
class=SpellE>Landstown has won 14 consecutive contests with their last
loss coming on January 7th to Chester out of Pennsylvania.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Menchville has won
14 of its past 17 with 10 of those victories against teams with winning
records. Norcom
enters having won 19 postseason games in a row.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Best Game(s):
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>There
are clearly two can't miss games, which will make it tough on the Hampton Roads
basketball fan to choose only one. At 8
PM at Landstown High in Virginia Beach, the Eagles
play host to a Phoebus team that won two Peninsula District titles in a row
coming into this season, and was the regional runner up in 2011.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> At 6 PM at King's Fork High in Suffolk, it'll
be Maury vs. Nansemond River where you not only get the tantalizing coaching
matchup of Baker against Young, but also the Commodores' athletic baseline
against the Warriors' superb guards.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Central
Region:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Will JM & Henrico Hook up Again?
normal'>
style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>John Marshall and Henrico
met back in December in the Championship of the Times-Dispatch Invitational
Tournament at VCU's Siegel Center. The
Justices won that encounter, 78-69.
Since then, Henrico has won 17 consecutive contests and just may be the
favorite now in the Central Region Tournament with both John Marshall and L.C.
Bird losing in their district tourneys, plus Petersburg not playing quite as
sharp as they were in December and January.
Both Henrico and John Marshall can't go to State's since they are on the
same side in the bracket and would meet in the regional semifinals.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Scoring Machines:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>This
has been a great year for Central Region basketball when it comes to 'star
power' and high scorers. Highland
Springs' Micah Thomas, Petersburg's
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Frank Mason, Cosby's
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Troy Caupain,
John Marshall's Willie Mangum and
class=SpellE>Jestin
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'> Lewis, and L.C. Bird's
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Robert Johnson have all hit for high
point figures in the 30's or 40's this season.
Any one of those six players can explode for a huge number in the
playoffs, and put fans on the edge of their seats.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Also not to be forgotten in that grouping are
Meadowbrook's guards, Ahmed
class=SpellE>Fofana and Brandon
Cheeks, both of whom have hit for 30-plus in the past month.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Scorers Not in Attendance:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>With
those great scorers that we'll have in the regionals, it's hard to have anyone
missing, but there will be a few. The
dynamite duo from Prince George in Braxton
Evans and A.J. Shelton won't be
in the dance, nor will Patrick Henry-Ashland junior guard
normal'>Ray Minor. Evans nailed 124
three-pointers this season, and Minor eclipsed over 1000 career points.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Who's this year's Bird?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Few
saw coming the run that L.C. Bird went on a season ago, defeating Highland
Springs to win the Central Region crown and then taking down T.C. Williams and
class=SpellE>Osbourn, doing so in improbable fashion as they rallied
from double-digits down in the second half.
Looking for a team to re-create some of that magic, then Thomas
Jefferson is probably the sleeper. They
are brimming with confidence having already beaten Bird this season in a game
where they trailed from 10 in the fourth quarter before forcing overtime and
winning, plus they beat John Marshall in the Colonial District Tournament
Championship to further enhance their belief they can play with anyone.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Take 2 for Bird?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Why
not the Skyhawks?
Troy Manns
has the team right in position to get back to the State Tournament.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Three starters are back from last year in
Johnson, Christian Smith and
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Harvey Freeman, and they have gotten
contributions from several others throughout the course of the year.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Bird is just as talented as they were a
season ago if not more so, which means it'll be probably be about how hungry
they are in the fourth quarter.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Can the Wave Weather the Storm?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Petersburg
has been missing two key parts to their success this year in recent games in
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Edmund Maxwell and
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Ahmond
normal'> Pair. It remains to be seen
if they do return, but if don't as some believe, then that means
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Rick Hite's Wave will go as far as
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Frank Mason (Towson) and
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Marcus Hoosier (Virginia State) can
take them. That's quite a duo; they
combined for 60 points in a win over Meadowbrook and Mason is a two-time
Central District Player of the Year.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Re-Match Worth Watching:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>There
are a couple first round matchups that are re-match of a regular season
battle. One really has my
attention. Cosby defeated Meadowbrook
79-75 in December in the TDIT, and now the two will go at it again where the
stakes will be advancing to the quarterfinals.
Each team has streaky scorers and outside shooting threats.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> The team that makes the last run stick should
come out on top.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Will there be a 4/1 Upset?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Two
years ago, L.C. Bird was a #4 seed and stunned #1 seed Highland Springs in the
opening round of regionals. Could the
reverse happen to Bird when they welcome in #4 seed Thomas Dale?
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> A much improved Manchester team will try to
shock Petersburg, while Douglas Freeman under veteran Coach
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Larry Parpat looks
to pull the stunner against Henrico.
class=SpellE>Varina's chances of an upset aren't great since they are
the lone sub.-500 team in the field and face a John Marshall team with superior
size.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Northern
Region:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Do Guards Carry the Way or Bigs?
style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Nobody in the Northern
Region has the look of being a 'scary squad' or one that will just maul its
opponents. With that in mind, will it be
guards or big people that win out? When
it comes to guards, watch out for Langley with Daniel Dixon, McLean with Gordon
Rogo and Herndon with the underclassmen tandem of
Will Ferguson and Dorian Johnson. In
terms of front-court weapons, Westfield has the best center in Zach
class=SpellE>Elcano (American signee), while
Edison packs a 1-2 punch with Matt Murphy and Ty Mackall.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Does T.C. Repeat?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The
Titans have won the last four Northern Region Tournaments they participated,
missing in 2010 when they were the #7 seed in the Patriot District Tournament
because they were forced to forfeit 12 victories because of an ineligible
player. T.C. is starting to its stride
at just the right time, which could be bad news from any foes they come across
in the Concorde, National, Liberty or even Patriot District.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
They Meet Up Again:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>There
aren't more re-matches in any other region than what we have in the North,
where Washington-Lee/Centreville, W.T. Woodson/Fairfax and James
Robinson/Yorktown all met earlier this season.
Centreville won their encounter back in December by a count of 62-59 in
overtime. Woodson hammered Fairfax 55-32
in early December, and James Robinson prevailed over Yorktown by a mark of
63-53 in January.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Hot Streak Ends:
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
Filing this one under the not here folder, South Lakes figured to be a
dangerous team if they got in, but that didn't happen.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> The Seahawks fell
victim to the upset bug as the #3 seed in the Liberty District, losing to #6
seed Thomas Jefferson. Up until that
point, South Lakes had won 12 of 14 and five in a row.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Can the Regular Season Champs Recover?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Searching
for some answers after losses in the district playoffs dropped them from the #1
seed to the #2 seed are Westfield, W.T. Woodson and Langley.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> All will have to do what was done to them in
order to reach the State Tournament and that is beat a higher seed.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Do Tourney Titles Carry Over?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>If
they do, then it bodes well for the likes of James Robinson, T.C. Williams and
McLean. They were all #2 seeds in the
regular season, or in T.C.'s case a #4 seed, and were able to improve their
seed to the 1 line.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Needing Favorites to Advance:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Unlike
the Northwest Region, Eastern Region and Central Region where they all have
only one team below .500, the Northern Region has three in Centreville (10-13),
Herndon (10-13) and Thomas Jefferson (8-6).
Two of them in Centreville and Herndon have realistic shots at winning,
which would be bad news for this region's reputation because they need favorites
to advance to better their chances of the Northern Region crowning its third
State Champion in the last 31 years.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Best Game(s):
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>There
are two worthy of the billing here in my opinion.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> The first one is Herndon vs. Thomas Edison,
where you have a contrast of styles as the Eagles rely on the inside game and
the Hornets bring tough covers at the guard spot to the dance.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Another one that's intriguing is South County
against Langley, where the winner is fully capable of putting it together and
punching its ticket to the State's Elite Eight.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Northwest
Region:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Anyone Able to Slow Potomac's Streak?
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>As
great as Gar-Field and Osbourn have been this season,
and even other district title winners in North Stafford and Patrick
Henry-Roanoke, the conversation in the Northwest Region begins with the defending
Champion Panthers of Potomac, who are seeking their tenth State Tournament trip
since 1995 and have won eight in a row. That
includes an upset win over Gar-Field.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Nigel's Out . . . so Who Will Go Off?
style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Broad Run junior guard
Nigel Johnson came into the Spartans' Northwest Region Tournament first round
matchup versus Potomac averaging 29.3 points per game.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He scored 31, but it wasn't enough as the
Panthers nailed 11 three-pointers in the first half and cruised to a
double-digit victory. With the state's
top scorer out of the tourney, who will emerge as that guy capable of having
offensive outburst after offensive outburst?
North Stafford's T.J. Jones is
a candidate to watch.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Two-Sport Stars on Display:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The
Northwest Region has its share of two-sport stars that excel in football as
well as basketball in Mountain View's
normal'>Daesean Hamilton,
Osbourn's Robbie
Carter and Gar-Field's Ryan Mason.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Each figures to play an important role as
they chase a region title and State Tournament berth, which if
class=SpellE>Osbourn is able to attain, would be their second in as many
years.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Stafford County Threats:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The
Mountain View Wildcats became the first ever Stafford County boys basketball
team to reach the State Playoffs when they did it back in 2007-08.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Can they do it again?
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Two more wins, starting with an upset of
Gar-Field, would get them there. Also
keep an eye on a North Stafford team that won its first district title since
1986.
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Can Osbourn Finish?
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>That's a question that'll be surrounding the Eagles
until they cut down the nets for a state title.
In last year's State Tournament quarterfinals, Osbourn
led eventual AAA runner-up L.C. Bird by 17 in the fourth quarter and by 11 with
2:55 remaining when the Skyhawks rallied for an
unbelievable comeback.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Re-Match Possibilities:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>There
are a few of them out there, and one will definitely happen when Stonewall
Jackson takes on Patrick Henry-Roanoke in a game the Patriots won earlier this
season. Gar-Field and Potomac could meet
for a fourth time this season. We could
also have playoff re-matches from a year ago with Osbourn
and Potomac (regional final won by the Panthers) as well as Patrick Henry vs.
class=SpellE>Osbourn (regional semifinals won by the Eagles).
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>***
Best Game:
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>It
has to be North Stafford playing host to Potomac.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> The Panthers slowed down one star in Johnson
and will try to put the clamps on another in Jones.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> As great as Potomac's win streak has been,
the Wolverines have an even longer one at 10 games.
normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";text-decoration:none;text-underline:
none'>Matthew Hatfield
style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>
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style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
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normal'>
text-decoration:none;text-underline:none'>Hatfield's Twitter page
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> for more sports related updates, and
href="http://www.suffolknewsherald.com">
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normal'>
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