10 Best: VHSL 4A State Championship Game
In another cinderella story matchup, both of these teams were considered favorites early in the season, but the road they took to the finals was full of tough competition. Along with 6A, 4A was considered the most wide open classification in the VHSL, but when things started at the Siegel Center it wasn’t what we expected.
The two teams took similar routes to the championship, with LV coming in at 27-1 and Jamestown at 25-2. Their teams were very similar as well, leading many to believe it would be a close game, which unfortunately it wasn’t.
The longer, more experienced Vikings group came out hot and punched the Eagles right in the mouth in their first state championship appearance ever, and it got ugly quick. After one period of play, Loudoun Valley led 24-8 and was shooting 9-for-11 from the field. It didn’t get much better before halftime, and the Vikings went in to the locker room with a 42-25 lead.
Jamestown showed a lot of heart throughout the game, and came out of halftime with a chip, but it simply wasn’t enough for a Loudoun Valley team who blew everyone out throughout the season. They ended up taking the game, and the championship, 80-48. Here’s more from the game.
MVP | Jordan Miller | Loudoun Valley ’18
Miller was fantastic throughout the game, and was a big reason that LV was able to jump out early and keep a commanding lead throughout the game. The 6’4” wing with a host of division one interest was dominant on both ends of the floor, and had arguably one of the most impressive performances of the entire championships, finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, two steals and two assists.
Play of the Game
With just under six minutes to play in the third quarter, Jamestown was making a run after two straight three’s by senior Ryan Jones cut the deficit to 13 and they were on a 10-0 run. After the Vikings hit a three, they got a stop and senior Nick Ball pushed ahead to sixth man Jalen Williams in transition. Instead of attacking the basket and trying to get to the line, Williams pulled up in transition and hit the three, a metaphor for how confident and well the Vikings shot it all game. It changed the momentum, and LV never looked back from there.
Best Offensive Performer | Jordan Miller | Loudoun Valley ’18
What made Miller’s 26 points outing so impressive? How does 11-for-12 shooting from the field and 4-for-4 from the line sound? Miller showed impressive touch in the midrange, hitting a number of floaters and midrange pull ups to avoid charges. He also hit the offensive glass to keep plays alive, and finished well around the basket off back cuts and post ups. He made a big statement on the biggest stage of his career so far.
Best Defensive Performer | Duron Norris | Loudoun Valley
Norris, one of the glue guys on LV, not only was one of the better defenders in the game, he also shot 4-for-4 from the field on the day. His impact defensively was seen early with a couple of big steals, and his versatility in their press was huge. He guarded multiple positions, was in the help regularly and made good reads throughout the game. He finished with three steals and a block.
Best Guy off the Bench | Ryan Devine | Jamestown ‘17
Devine gave Jamestown life in the second quarter, when he scored six straight points to help the Eagles cut the lead from 25 to 17 in the last two minutes of the first half, including a three-pointer before the buzzer. The lanky shooter played an underrated role for Jamestown all season, and his energy and ability to shoot it from deep briefly revived them when we all thought they were dead.
Best Under the Radar Performer | Mason Wang | Jamestown ’17
Mason, and his twin brother Evan, were the staples to turning around the Jamestown program the last couple of seasons, and he wasn’t going out without a bang. He finished with a team high 13 points, including a couple of finishes that just didn’t make sense from the 5’9” guard. He’s still underrated and overlooked, but he’ll continue to fill it up at the next level against all that doubted him.
Best Intangibles | Nick Ball | Loudoun Valley ‘17
Everyone needs a senior leader on a championship team, and Ball took that bull by the horns this year after a disappointing finish last season. From the jump, Ball set the tone with 5 points and an assist in the first three possessions of the game. The combo guard finished with 19 points and seven assists, and his poise and leadership were big for the Vikings down the stretch.
Best Catch and Shoot Guy | Dominic Peterson | Loudoun Valley ‘18
Peterson hit that early three off the pass from Ball to make it 5-0 LV, and his confidence never wavered from there. He finished with 14 points on just six shots throughout the game, and if it was NBA Jam he officially would have been on fire from his performance. He shot 80% from deep going 4-for-5 from deep, and if he can shoot it that well next year he’ll likely step into the large role that Ball will leave for him.
Best Inside Presence | Michael Schmidt | Jamestown ’17
Schmidt finished his high school career with over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds, and he showed that type of blue collar attitude in their loss. Despite big deficits, he anchored the paint, fought on the glass and showed touch around the basket. He’s a surprisingly good athlete for his size, and he finished with eight points and five rebounds on the night.
Best Aspect of the Environment | The Perfect Game
There’s no faulting Jamestown here, because Loudoun Valley played perhaps the best basketball game from one team I had seen all season. The Vikings shot an unreal 70.5% from the field, 54.5% from deep and 92.3% from the free throw line throughout the game. The top six in the rotation scored 76 of their 80 points, and finished with 17 assists to just 10 turnovers while playing an uptempo style. While we were hoping to see a much closer game, it was still impressive to see a team clicking on all cylinders like that.