VHSL Hoops Top Tens - Entering January 2024 Action
We've flipped the calendar from 2023 to 2024 as we get closer to the midway point of the season. Numerous holiday tournaments, some inside the Commonwealth and many involving teams heading out-of-state, impact our latest rankings.
George Wythe grabbed attention with its landmark 56-45 win over Dorman, reigning 5A State Champs in South Carolina, at the Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tennessee. Though the Maroons lost their next two tests there, it was certainly one of the more impressive victories for the program in quite some time, which is saying something since they reached the State Finals last March. Junior guard Reed Kirtner had 40 points on 8-of-12 shooting from behind the arc in a 96-95 loss to Ohio power Mentor.
As for the team Wythe lost to in the State Finals at the Class 1 level last winter, the Lancaster Red Devils opened 7-0 before seeing its 36-game winning streak snapped in the Finals of the Strasburg Holiday Tournament, coming up short to West Virginia heavyweight Buckhannon-Upshur, 43-37.
In Class 6, Patriot was set to leap to the top of the rankings after taking down previous No. 1 South Lakes, 83-72, behind the trio of Isaiah Vick, Dezmond Hopkins and Harvard commit Tey Barbour. Those three combined for 67 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists that night. But the Pioneers suffered their third loss of the season down in Hampton as they erased a 16-point deficit, only to fall to the Crabbers, 56-55 on a dunk from 6'8" sophomore Gavin Kay in the closing seconds.
Taking the top spot in Class 6 is Oscar Smirh, which breezed by host Wakefield to win the 21st Annual George Long Holiday Tournament in Arlington as LaVar Griffin's Tigers shared the ball to the tune of 17 assists on 24 made field goals in the 62-46 victory over another Top Ten ranked opponent.
New to the rankings after outlasting Norfolk Collegiate 78-77 in double-overtime to win their second straight Springer Holiday Classic Championship is Manchester. Devon Bell was named Tourney MVP with a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Also out in Wise, Lebanon avenged its loss earlier the season to Honaker behind 23 points and 10 rebounds from Mike Reece, who averaged 16.5 points and 11.5 RPG in the event and tossed in a buzzer-beater during the 58-57 triumph in the Championship of the 9th Annual Powell Valley National Bank Holiday Classic.
Albemarle, Tuscarora, Charlottesville, Landstown, Tunstall, James River-Midlothian and Lake Taylor were among other ranked teams that won tourneys in the past several days.
You can see the full rankings below...
* Indicates record including Eastern District Tournament games
| Rank | Last Week | School | Record (entering 1/2) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
4 |
Oscar Smith |
7-0 |
|
2 |
2 |
Patriot |
5-3 |
|
3 |
1 |
South Lakes |
8-2 |
|
4 |
3 |
West Potomac |
7-2 |
|
5 |
5 |
Alexandria City |
6-2 |
|
6 |
6 |
Potomac |
9-1 |
|
7 |
8 |
Forest Park |
5-2 |
|
8 |
10 |
Landstown |
7-4 |
|
9 |
NR |
Manchester |
9-2 |
|
10 |
7 |
Wakefield |
8-2 |
Honorable Mention:
Western Branch (7-2)
W.T. Woodson (6-3)
George Marshall (10-2)
South County (7-3)
McLean (8-4)
| Rank | Last Week | School | Record (entering 1/2) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
1 |
Woodside |
8-0 |
|
2 |
2 |
Potomac Falls |
10-0 |
|
3 |
3 |
King's Fork |
5-2 |
|
4 |
5 |
L.C. Bird |
8-0 |
|
5 |
6 |
Norview |
5-1; 4-0* |
|
6 |
9 |
Albemarle |
8-3 |
|
7 |
7 |
Maury |
8-3; 5-3* |
|
8 |
HM |
James River-Midlothian |
9-1 |
|
9 |
10 |
Menchville |
5-2 |
|
10 |
NR |
Green Run |
6-3 |
Honorable Mention:
Hermitage (7-2)
Cox (8-1)
Salem-Virginia Beach (7-3)
Massaponax (8-3)
Kellam (5-2)
| Rank | Last Week | School | Record (entering 1/2) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
1 |
Varina |
4-1 |
|
2 |
2 |
Hampton |
7-1 |
|
3 |
3 |
Charlottesville |
10-0 |
|
4 |
4 |
Tuscarora |
7-1 |
|
5 |
HM |
Henrico |
9-2 |
|
6 |
3 |
John Handley |
6-3 |
|
7 |
7 |
Broad Run |
5-2 |
|
8 |
HM |
Jefferson Forest |
7-2 |
|
9 |
9 |
Rock Ridge |
6-2 |
|
10 |
10 |
Churchland |
7-3; 7-2* |
Honorable Mention:
Woodgrove (6-2)
Blacksburg (7-3)
Atlee (9-2)
Eastern View (5-4)
Loudoun Valley (6-4)
| Rank | Last Week | School | Record (entering 1/2) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
1 |
Lake Taylor |
10-1; 8-0* |
|
2 |
3 |
Spotswood |
9-0 |
|
3 |
4 |
Tunstall |
11-0 |
|
4 |
2 |
Northside |
8-2 |
|
5 |
10 |
Carroll County |
9-0 |
|
6 |
6 |
Western Albemarle |
8-3 |
|
7 |
HM |
Rustburg |
9-1 |
|
8 |
HM |
Hopewell |
7-2 |
|
9 |
9 |
Grafton |
6-1 |
|
10 |
8 |
James Monroe |
8-2 |
Honorable Mention:
Meridian (7-0)
Lafayette (6-1)
Alleghany (8-2)
William Monroe (9-2)
New Kent (6-2)
| Rank | Last Week | School | Record (entering 1/2) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
1 |
John Marshall |
9-2 |
|
2 |
4 |
Greensville |
9-0 |
|
3 |
3 |
Floyd County |
5-3 |
|
4 |
HM |
Lebanon |
9-2 |
|
5 |
7 |
Bruton |
6-2 |
|
6 |
9 |
Graham |
3-0 |
|
7 |
2 |
Gate City |
3-3 |
|
8 |
NR |
Clarke County |
6-3 |
|
9 |
6 |
Union |
6-4 |
|
10 |
NR |
Virginia High |
6-4 |
Honorable Mention:
Ridgeview (6-4)
Martinsville (6-5)
Amelia (4-2)
| Rank | Last Week | School | Record (entering 1/2) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
1 |
George Wythe |
6-2 |
|
2 |
2 |
Lancaster |
7-1 |
|
3 |
4 |
Narrows |
9-1 |
|
4 |
7 |
Brunswick |
8-3 |
|
5 |
3 |
Franklin |
7-3 |
|
6 |
8 |
Altavista |
6-2 |
|
7 |
6 |
Carver Academy |
7-1 |
|
8 |
HM |
Northampton |
7-3 |
|
9 |
NR |
Parry McCluer |
7-3 |
|
10 |
10 |
Patrick Henry-Glade Spring |
9-3 |
Honorable Mention:
Chilhowie (7-3)
Rappahannock County (6-1)
Grundy (5-4)
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