Numerous area boys basketball teams begin a quest for a VHSL state title

Region boys basketball champions Landstown, Woodside, Green Run, Hampton and Lake Taylor want to add a state title to their résumés.

Runners-up Oscar Smith, Maury, Kempsville, Churchland, Booker T. Washington and Bruton also hope to make a state title run.

Virginia High School League quarterfinals are Tuesday, and semifinals are scheduled for Friday. The championship games are next week at VCU’s Siegel Center in Richmond.

All VHSL quarterfinals will be Tuesday. Admission is $10 per game, plus a $1.50 service fee, and tickets are sold only at https://gofan.co/app/school/VHSL.

Here’s a look at Tuesday’s complete VHSL schedule, including the lowdown on each 757 team. The host teams (region champions) are listed second in each pairing. Teams who don’t meet the VHSL’s minimum seating requirement for the quarterfinals, such as Hampton and Varina, will play at nearby sites instead of their home gyms.

CLASS 6

Tuesday’s quarterfinals: Hayfield at Landstown, 6 p.m.; Potomac vs. South Lakes, 7 p.m; Oscar Smith at West Potomac, 6:30 p.m.; James Madison at Patriot, 7 p.m.

757 buzz: Landstown (21-4) is back in the state tournament after winning a state title in 2019 and finishing runner-up in 2005 and 2014. The Eagles are the hottest team in Hampton Roads, with 17 straight wins. They are led by 6-foot-6 wing DeShawn Spellman, who is averaging 16 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks and three steals in the postseason. They also have senior guard Demeir Pollard, who is making his third state tournament appearance. The Eagles should get 6-4 forward Zaevion Cleveland back in the lineup. He has been out because of an illness. He averages 12.1 points and 8.3 rebounds. They face Hayfield (21-7), which had won seven in a row before losing in its region final.

Oscar Smith (22-3) had won eight in row before losing to Landstown in the Region A final. The Tigers, state runners-up in 2016, are led by senior Ulysses Young (12.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 steals per game) and Jacobi Harper (15 ppg, 5 rebounds per game). This is a young but dangerous team that can surprise anyone. The Tigers have to travel to Alexandria to face West Potomac (21-7).

CLASS 5

Tuesday’s quarterfinals: Albemarle at Potomac Falls, 7:30 p.m.; Massaponax at L.C. Bird, 7 p.m.; Maury at Green Run, 6:30 p.m.; Kempsville at Woodside, 7 p.m.

757 buzz: Defending Class 5 champion Woodside is back in the state tournament. Wolverines 6-9 junior center Silas Barksdale has been phenomenal as he’s averaging 12.5 points and 15.5 rebounds in the postseason. He has plenty of help with guards Travis Hamilton, Masiah Wells-Stevens, Jermaine Detrick and Jakobe Reed. They face Kempsville, which lost to Green Run in the Region A final. The Chiefs are led by Savon Sandiford and Emmanuel Angila.

Green Run, which won a share of a state title in 2020 during the COVID year and finished runner-up in 2021, continues to impress as the Stallions are headed to their fifth state tournament in the past six seasons. Tre Miller is averaging 21 points and 8.5 rebounds. They also have K’Saan Farrar, Knahlij Harrell, Julius Hymon and Kass Jackson.

Maury, which won a state title in 2019 and finished runner-up in 2022, looked great against King’s Fork in the region semifinals, but struggled against the Wolverines. The Commodores will need a big game from guard Adrean Newton (13 ppg, 2.5 spg) to beat Green Run.

CLASS 4

Tuesday’s quarterfinals: Tuscarora vs. Charlottesville, 7:45 p.m.; Jefferson Forest vs. Loudoun Valley, 7 p.m.; Dinwiddie vs. Hampton (at Heritage), 7:30 p.m.; Churchland vs. Varina (at Highland Springs), 7 p.m.

757 buzz: Hampton has won 14 in a row. The Crabbers, who last won a state title in 2012, are led by senior Malik Johnson (18 ppg and five steals per game in the postseason). He’s getting plenty of help, including from Daron Baugh and Abraham Taft. The Crabbers (23-2) play Dinwiddie (17-9) at Heritage High. … Churchland (18-8) travels to Richmond to play two-time defending state champion Varina, which hasn’t lost a game since late December as the Blue Devils have won 18 in a row. The Truckers will need big games from Sincere Jones and Aveyon Jordan to keep from being eliminated.

CLASS 3

Tuesday’s quarterfinals: Spotswood vs. Northside, 7 p.m.; Tunstall vs. Western Albemarle, 7 p.m.; Meridian at Lake Taylor, 6 p.m.; Booker T. Washington vs. James Monroe, 6 p.m.

757 buzz: Lake Taylor, which won a state title in 2018 and finished as runner-up in 2016, has a good chance to add another banner this season. The Titans have twin towers in 6-8 forwards Elijah Washington and Rodney Baines. In the region final, they combined for 31 points and 26 rebounds. For the playoffs, Washington is averaging 15 points and 13.3 rebounds, while Baines is averaging 12.3 points and 11 rebounds. They also have lightning-quick guard Shahide Battle, who is averaging 14.2 points and 4.3 steals. The Titans (23-1) host Meridian (22-4) of Falls Church.

Booker T. Washington (17-10) got hot late as the Bookers won four in a row, including knocking off No. 2 Region A seed Grafton and No. 3 Lafayette to reach the state tournament. They are led by Zymareon Mitchell (19.8 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.5 spg), Antonio Williams (13.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.6 apg, 2.9 spg) and Carmello Browne (10.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2 bpg). They travel to Fredericksburg to take on James Monroe (24-5).

CLASS 2

Tuesday’s quarterfinals: Martinsville vs. Virginia High of Bristol, 7 p.m.; Graham vs. Gretna, 6:30 p.m.; Clarke County vs. John Marshall, 8 p.m.; Bruton vs. Luray, 7 p.m

757 buzz: Bruton (18-7) was the Region A runner-up to advance to the state tournament. The Panthers, who lost to John Marshall 97-50 in the region final, travel to play Luray (18-7) in the Shenandoah Valley.

CLASS 1

Tuesday’s quarterfinals: George Wythe vs. Honaker, 7 p.m.; Chilhowie vs. Auburn, 7 p.m. Brunswick vs. Lancaster, 7 p.m.; Middlesex vs. Carver College and Career Academy, 7 p.m.

Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com