VHSL Class 5 Preseason POY Candidates

With a full basketball season (hopefully) ready to get into swing in VA, we will take a look at some of the players we feel are candidates for Player of the Year in each classification. While there’s plenty of players we haven’t seen or are ready to have breakout years, we will take a look at some of the best players we know of that we think will have big seasons. We take a look at nine players we think will be in the conversation for VHSL Class 5 Player of the Year. [player_tooltip player_id="815594" first="DeJuan" last="Campbell"] | 6’1” PG | Kecoughtan 2022 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Campbell-DJ-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1307738" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Campbell-DJ-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Class 5 is probably the hardest to predict, but the list has to start with Campbell who was All State as a sophomore before his junior year was canceled due to Covid, but he was one of the top players on the loaded CBG Circuit. Campbell eclipsed 1,000 points as a sophomore so you know he can fill it up, he can run the show and make others better and he impacts the game in almost every way you can thin of as a guard. If the Warriors can muster up a playoff run the Western Carolina commit will be firmly in the discussion. Jacob Thomas | 6’4” WF | Stonebridge 2022 Thomas was a big reason for Stonebridge run to the state championship last year and was named First Team All VHSCA due to it. A high motor wing who can score it in bunches from all over the floor, Thomas is a dual sport athlete who plays hard on both ends of the floor and his versatility makes him very hard to guard and game plan for. [player_tooltip player_id="992530" first="Trevor" last="Smith"] | 5’11” PG | Woodside 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Smith-Trevor.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1187190" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Smith-Trevor-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Smith is another 757 player who is ripe for a breakout season as the go-to guy at a Woodside team who should compete with Menchville and Kecoughtan in the loaded Class 5 Region B classification. Smith is a scoring guard who can play on or off the basketball, he can fill it up from deep and get to the rim at will and he’s coming off of a big summer and is very confident heading into the season. He’ll have a chance to be one of the top scorers in the area and if he can take them on a run he’ll be right in the discussion for POY. [player_tooltip player_id="999619" first="Yuri" last="Manns"] | 6’3” CG | LC Bird 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Manns-Yuri-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1302372" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Manns-Yuri-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Manns is on this list after he’s been tearing it up this Fall showing he’s ready for the go-to role on a balanced Bird team who brings back as much talent as anyone in Class 5 after making a run to the state tournament last year. He’s bigger and more explosive and looks more confident than he has in the past, he’s able to score it in bunches from all three levels and he has a good feel on both ends. If the Skyhawks make a run at a state championship there’s a good chance he’ll be their leading scorer. [player_tooltip player_id="1231823" first="AJ" last="Wills"] | 6’1” PG | LC Bird 2023 If the Skyhawks do win a state championship, it will likely be Manns or his backcourt teammate Wills who will be in the conversation for state POY. Wills, who transferred from Life Christian Academy, is one of the most dynamic guards in the state as he has great end-to-end speed, he can score it from multiple levels and he’s a good playmaker as well. The two of them will be key in Bird’s success this year. [player_tooltip player_id="999649" first="Etienne" last="Strothers"] | 6’1” PG | Menchville 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Strothers-Etienne-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1307776" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Strothers-Etienne-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Strothers is the third guard in Class 5 Region B to be on this list, and he’s part of a Menchville group that will get their chance after their top 3 scorers from last year graduated. The 6’1” lead guard has a versatile game as he’s a skilled scorer who can create shots for himself off the bounce, he’s athletic and can finish at the rim and jump passing lanes defensively and he’s a very good playmaker as well. [player_tooltip player_id="999627" first="Wesley" last="Williams"] | 6’1” PG | Independence 2023 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Williams-Wes.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1161643" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Williams-Wes-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Williams is another of the many talented guards in the 2023 class, and Independence moves to Class 5 in their third year of existence and Williams was a First Team Class 3 selection last year leading Independence to the state playoffs. The 6’1” guard is a floor general who is highly skilled as both a scorer and a distributor, he makes winning plays on both ends and controls the game and runs the team well. If they can make a run to the state playoffs he’ll be right in the discussion with the guards mentioned above. [player_tooltip player_id="1259628" first="Abu" last="Yarmah"] | 6’5” F | Patrick Henry (Roanoke) 2024 PH had a run to the state semifinals last year before falling to Stone Bridge, and while they lose First Team All VHSCA selection [player_tooltip player_id="798723" first="Jamonte" last="Smith"] they do have one of the top players in the sophomore class in the area. The 6’5” forward is a walking mismatch as he’s a big time athlete who can guard multiple positions, he rebounds at a very high rate and he’s a big time finisher at the rim as well. He’ll have a breakout season for a PH team that should compete in the Class 5 Region D region.