VISAA D2 Preview: State Title Contenders

We take a look at our preseason preview of the VISAA divisions as the season is right around the corner. We will start with division two, featuring some of the top programs in the state. Here’s a look at some of the state title contenders and dark horse candidates as we head into the season. State Title Favorites Blue Ridge <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Brown-Maliq-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1149220" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Brown-Maliq-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> The Barons are one of the premier perennial powerhouse programs in the state as they’ve won five of the last seven VISAA D2 state championships, including last season, and they come with a deep roster that fits Head Coach Cade Lemcke’s style of play. The Barons are huge up front with 6’8” senior Syracuse commit [player_tooltip player_id="815577" first="Maliq" last="Brown"] (pic) and 6’10” senior [player_tooltip player_id="798689" first="Houston" last="Emory"] returning to man the middle, and they have depth in the front court too with 6’7” sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1259622" first="Shanon" last="Simango"] who has taken a lot of strides over the offseason. They return a few key guys in senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="964451" first="Devin" last="Walker"] and junior 6’7” wing [player_tooltip player_id="1117679" first="Macon" last="Emory"], and have added a lot of talented new pieces including junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="999630" first="Robby" last="Matos"], junior wings [player_tooltip player_id="999651" first="Logan" last="Rhoades"] and Diarmid Stewart and a host of other players as well, making them very deep. Miller School <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Davis-Ant-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1301648" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Davis-Ant-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Miller went through a rebuilding phase the past few years, but Head Coach Jack Meriwether has a loaded roster this year with great size and athleticism that fits his pressing style and they will be a very tough team on both ends of the floor. A couple of newcomers in senior wing and Fairfield commit [player_tooltip player_id="1217448" first="Anthony" last="Davis"] (pic) and nationally ranked junior [player_tooltip player_id="977592" first="Austin" last="Ball"] both bring good size on the wing and compliment each other well, while the front court is led by senior Navy commit 6’8” Ethan DeLaurier and his 6’8” sophomore brother [player_tooltip player_id="1259617" first="Eli" last="DeLaurier"] who is already getting recruited nationally, along with 6’7” senior [player_tooltip player_id="964450" first="Jacob" last="Rice"] giving them a huge and versatile lineup. Guard play will be the key to their success and a lot of that will fall on 6’2” junior transfer [player_tooltip player_id="1321198" first="Jordan" last="Horne"] to be able to get them into sets and make plays for this talented group. Highland School <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/OBrien-Patrick-Head-Shot.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1184060" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/OBrien-Patrick-Head-Shot-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Highland was heading to the state semifinals last year and looked like they were going to contend with Blue Ridge before their season was shut down due to Covid, but they’ll have a chance to do it this year despite losing their two stop scorers from last season. Head Coach Brian Hooker has built a program that has depth at every position and good size, with 6’7” senior [player_tooltip player_id="1107839" first="Reiss" last="Whitaker"], 6’8” junior [player_tooltip player_id="999645" first="Patrick" last="O’Brien"] (pic) and 6’7” sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1259631" first="Patrick" last="Ngongba"] manning the front line. 6’4” sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="1259618" first="Isaiah" last="Abraham"] is looking like one of the top prospects in the 2024 class and should have a breakout season, and junior point guard Cam Cole is a dual threat to score and distribute leading the group. Virginia Academy <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Crossman-Callum.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1318441" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Crossman-Callum-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> A few seasons ago it wasn’t even clear if VA Academy would continue to have a program, but their back and they showed at the CBG Fall Series they are super talented with a lot of athletes across the board. The senior trio of point guard [player_tooltip player_id="962804" first="Lorenzo" last="Nichols"] and wings [player_tooltip player_id="1107841" first="Greg" last="Williams"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1107829" first="Tazir" last="Smith"] will be crucial to their success as bucket getters and ball handlers, and they have great size and depth in the front court. 6’8” UK junior transfer Callum Crossman (pic) is one of the elite athletes in the state and will turn heads with all of the college coaches that watch him, and he has 6’7” senior [player_tooltip player_id="798747" first="Peter" last="Oduro"] and 6’7” junior [player_tooltip player_id="815581" first="David" last="Solomon"] in the front court with him giving them a ton of size and athleticism in the front court. Dark Horse Candidates Steward School <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Gregory-Cam-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1306416" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Gregory-Cam-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> This is one of the best teams the Spartans have had in a while, and Head Coach Curt Kassab has a lot of pieces to play in different ways and a lot of players who can create and make shots. Senior St. Francis commit [player_tooltip player_id="1107835" first="Cam" last="Gregory"] (pic) leads the way with fellow senior point guard Nick Booker who is a two way impact guy, along with one of the best shot makers in the state in junior 6’5” wing [player_tooltip player_id="992529" first="Curtis" last="Blair III"]. The front court is one of the more underrated in the state with senior 6’7” forward [player_tooltip player_id="1107836" first="Roman" last="Barshow"] and junior 6’8” big [player_tooltip player_id="1107851" first="Owen" last="Gray"], along with senior Catholic commit Daniel Heitman providing depth in the front court. Peninsula Catholic <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Brown-Chris-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1306402" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Brown-Chris-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> PC has become one of the top programs on the Peninsula and Head Coach Trevor Dorsey has a talented group that has experience and a few young pieces that should make them able to compete with anyone. Leading the way are two very athletic two way impact seniors in 6’3” [player_tooltip player_id="1107838" first="Chris" last="Brown"] (pic) and 6’5” forward Travon Gray, they return one of the craftiest scorers in the 757 in junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1107884" first="Stylz" last="Gardner"] and they have a couple of talented young guards in sophomores [player_tooltip player_id="1259672" first="EJ" last="Joyner"] and Malcolm Velmar. Hargrave <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Bracey-Timayahs-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1308357" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Bracey-Timayahs-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Hargrave is in their first year under new Head Coach Alan Petty and they have an influx of new players both locally and from around the state that may have them as a surprise team this year in VISAA D2. Senior point guard Dominnic Shoemaker from Osbourn Park can both score it and make plays for others, senior hybrid forward [player_tooltip player_id="1107848" first="Maleek" last="Richardson"] is a crafty bucket getter, they have good versatility in the front court led by junior forward and Halifax transfer Kam Roberts and they have one of the top shooters in the state in junior Church Hill Academy transfer Timayahs Bracey (pic).