Session 1 of the 9th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic took place on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach. Two of the four games went down to the wire with the nightcap going to overtime.
Cox, Kecoughtan, Granby and Norcom all prevailed. We caught up with winning coaches and players from those games to get their thoughts. Watch the Video Interviews below...
Video - Cox Coach Bobby Wolfe after 64-51 win over Norview:
Video - Kecoughtan Coach Willie Gause after 73-61 win over Stone Bridge:
Video - Granby Coach Mike Evans after 71-69 win over Albemarle:
The Granby Comets secured a signature win at the VaPreps Classic, edging Albemarle 71-69 in a back-and-forth battle.
Sophomore guard Antwan Epps had 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting, three rebounds and three assists for the Comets. He was named game MVP. Backcourt mate Jermiah Jenkins added 15 points, going 6-of-6 at the foul line, with five assists. Tony Epps scored 11 points. Giovanni Jones tallied 10 points, eight boards and four steals.
Albemarle, which reached the 5A State Tournament Final Four a season ago, got 26 points and 14 rebounds from star Austin Katstra. Last year, Katstra completed a game-winning dunk at the buzzer to lift the Patriots over Albemarle in the VaPreps Classic in Richmond. Hampden-Sydney commit Jake Hahn recorded 17 points and seven boards, while J'Quan Anderson contributed 16 points and seven boards.
Video - Norcom's K.J. Davis after 73-67 OT win over Potomac:
Down eight late in the second quarter, the Norcom Greyhounds rallied and outlasted the Potomac Panthers 73-67 in overtime in a matchup of defending State Champs at the VaPreps Classic. Norcom has won three straight state titles, including last year's 3A crown. Potomac has won two of the past three state titles at the 5A level.
East Carolina signee K.J. Davis took home MVP honors with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field, 5-of-10 from three-point range, eight rebounds and five blocks. Towson commit Travis Ingram added 14 points, eight boards and seven assists, while backourt mate Darien Allison chipped in 12 points.
For Potomac, Mount St. Mary's pledge Nana Opoku was dominant at times with 20 of his 23 points coming in the first half to go with eight boards. Eljyah Camp and Devon McDonald scored 10 points apiece, while Byron Scriber grabbed 11 boards. The Panthers played without injured starters Charles Hyman and Jamal Washington, a 1st Team All-State performer from a season ago.
