Takeaways: 4A State Championships
It’s that time of the year where the best public school programs in the state meet at VCU’s Siegel Center to compete for the dream of every high school athlete, a state championship ring. Monday-Wednesday featured the 4A, 5A and…
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Continue ReadingIt’s that time of the year where the best public school programs in the state meet at VCU’s Siegel Center to compete for the dream of every high school athlete, a state championship ring. Monday-Wednesday featured the 4A, 5A and 6A state semifinals and championships. The first to be determined was 4A. Here’s what we saw.
Monacan Upsets Their Way to First Title
They came in to the state tournament as a 4 seed in the East Region and on a two game losing streak, but the Monacan Chiefs got their revenge against top ranked Lake Taylor in a 57-53 upset in the state championship game to give them their first state championship in boys basketball history.
“Our motto all season was Make ‘Em Believe,” head coach RJ Spelsburg said, “and I think it’s safe to say these boys did just that.”
Things got off to an exciting start for the Chiefs in the tournament, after upsetting the number 1 seed in the west Loudoun Valley 57-55 last Saturday. On Monday, Monacan was in a back-and-forth battle with GW Danville until the very end. After giving up a late fourth quarter lead, junior point guard Wallace Washington took the game into his own hands. With 10 seconds left, Washington used a ball screen as a decoy, drove left and hit a double-clutch layup with 2 seconds left to win the game.
“We went to team camp over the summer, and this young man Wallace Washington made three game winners for us that weekend,” Spelsburg said.
In the second game, Monacan trailed 4A State favorite Lake Taylor for the majority of the game, but they fought back in the fourth quarter to make it a game. They switched from their 2-3 zone that Spelsburg referred to as their “bread-and-butter,” into a 1-3-1 that threw the Titans off the last four minutes. After forcing some turnovers and erasing an 11 point deficit, the game took a turn that was all too familiar for Monacan fans.
With under a minute to play, and after clawing their way back into the game, Conference 20 Co-Player of the Year Alden Parham caught a kick out from Darian Peterson and drilled a three-pointer from the wing to tie the game at 53. After forcing a Lake Taylor turnover, Parham was fouled prior to the inbound and sank two free throws to put Monacan ahead for good. They held Lake Taylor scoreless for the last 4:36 of the game.
“I knew I hadn’t shot the ball well all game,” Parham, who finished with 12 points said. “I just knew I had to hit it when I got it.
It was Monacan’s first state title in school history, and they did it in the most exciting of ways.
Lake Taylor Young Guns Step Up
While they came up just short in the state championship, the Titans of Lake Taylor showed that they aren’t just a high level team now, but they also have a bright future with three sophomore guards that showed flashes of brilliance throughout the season and at the Siegel Center.
The most consistent of the three was Dereon Seabron, and he may have the most upside too because of his mismatch potential. Seabron sprung up four inches over the summer to a legit 6’5”, and his ability to create off of the bounce was evident in their two game this week. He continually got in the paint and was able to create opportunities, and was especially good at drawing contact and getting to the free throw line.
The second guy who drew intrigue throughout the season was 6’1” combo guard Joe Bryant. Bryant showed great instincts on both ends of the floor, and his frame allows him to bully smaller guards and finish through contact. He’s surprisingly shifty for his size, and should come onto some college radars playing with Boo Williams 16U EYBL this summer.
Last, but definitely not least, is 6’0” Jalen Jordan, who has been one of Lake Taylor’s best shooters throughout the season. He can be streaky at times, but the lefty has great form and deadly range, and he’ll only get better with more time that he works on it.
The three guards will return to try to keep Lake Taylor’s program on the come up, and will all be monitored this summer to see their growth.
Dom Fragala Almost Wills John Champe
In just their third year since the school was built, John Champe had an incredible season going 22-5 and making their first trip to the state semifinals. While they lost a tight one to Lake Taylor 76-69, junior guard Domenick Fragala made his presence known in a big way by hitting clutch shots down the stretch for the Knights. The 5’10” transfer from Bishop O’Connell finished with 22 points, 14 of which came in the second half. Fragala was a big contributor all season for Champe, and should give them something to build around moving forward.
Announcing GW Danville Prospects
Despite a heartbreaking loss to eventual state champs Monacan, two juniors for GW Danville really stepped up and made a name for themselves playing on the big stage.
The first was 6’2” guard Patrick Robinson that was the team’s leading scorer throughout the season. Robinson was tenacious when attacking the basket, finishing with 19 points and 9 rebounds on 7-for-12 from the field. He showed a lot of heart in the fourth quarter, helping will Danville back into the game.
The second guy who caught our eye was 6’5” forward Armadius Jones. The forward came out of the gates hot for Danville, scoring 14 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in the first half. His length and ability to score it in the face up scenarios made him a mismatch problem for Monacan all day. He impacts the game on both ends of the floor, rebounds it well and showed a lot of potential to work with.