CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Virginia High School League announces its 2023 Class 3 All-State Boys basketball Team. Hopewell 5’11” junior guard Cameron Mise is the Class 3 Player of the Year, and Northside Head Coach Bill Pope is the Class 3 Coach of the Year.
Mise averaged 17.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.5 steals per game this season, leading the Blue Devils to the State Championship game. In the State Finals against Northside, Mise scored a game-high 24 points, including a perfect 4-of-4 on 3-pointers and five rebounds in the 58-52 loss.
Veteran Northside Head Coach Bill Pope completed his 37th season leading the Vikings to a 29-1 record and a second state title (2019) with a 58-52 win over Hopewell. The only defeat on the schedule came against Cave Spring (65-60) in the Region D finals.
However, Pope’s Vikings made it to the State Finals with a 58-52 win over Cave Spring in the State Semifinals. Pope picked up his 600th career win on January 4, 2023, with a 75-44 win over Salem (Salem).
Eight (8) players make up the First and Second teams regardless of position. Only those players selected to All-Region First-Teams are eligible for selection to the All-State team.
Each All-State selection committee is composed of eight basketball coaches (2 from each Region).
*** See VHSL Class 3 All-State Hoops Teams for 2022-23 Here ***
Postgame Press Conference with the Northside Vikings after Class 3 Final:
Postgame Press Conference with the Northside Vikings after their 58-52 win over the Hopewell Blue Devils in the VHSL Class 3 State Basketball Championship at the VCU Siegel Center in Richmond on Friday, March 10, 2023.
Speaking from left to right - sophomore Mykell Harvey, Coach Billy Pope and senior Lawrence Cole of Northside.
The Vikings led by as many as 17 points - 25-8 - after one period of play. But they would fall behind by two points to start the fourth period and as many as four points early in that final stanza. They managed to close on an 18-8 run to capture the school's second state title.
Northside finished out the 2022-23 campaign with a record of 29-1 overall.
One-on-One with Northside Hoops Coach Billy Pope:
Northside Head Basketball Coach Billy Pope chats after his team's 58-52 win over the Hopewell Blue Devils in the VHSL Class 3 State Basketball Championship at the VCU Siegel Center in Richmond on Friday, March 10, 2023.
Pope's Vikings saw a 17-point lead after the first quarter evaporate and went into the fourth period trailing, falling behind by as many as four points before using a 16-6 spurt to prevail.
Pope picked up his 620th career win as the Vikings closed out the season 29-1 overall with their second State Championship.
