With the high school season right around the corner, it’s time for us to do some previews for who we think will compete for some of the state championships. We continue with private school, taking a look at our picks…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inWith the high school season right around the corner, it’s time for us to do some previews for who we think will compete for some of the state championships. We continue with private school, taking a look at our picks for who we think will win the state championship and who could possibly compete with them.
Here’s a look at our picks for contenders in the VISAA D1 classification.
Preseason Favorite: Paul VI


The Panthers have been the cream of the crop program in the state and one of the top programs in the DMV spanning the past decade and more, but this years team is something we haven’t seen before, as PVI could be considered one of the top programs in the entire country this year. Head Coach Glenn Farello has an absolute mob at his hands this year, with at least eight players who already have division one offers and enough size that they don’t even look like a high school team. Honestly, you could probably split their team into two and they would both compete for a WCAC and state championship this year.
Senior combo guard and Maryland commit
DeShawn Harris-Smith
DeShawn
Harris-Smith
6'5" | SF
Paul VI | 2023
State
#53
Nation
VA
brings all the toughness and leadership along with his athletic playmaking that makes him one of the top players in the country. Junior
Darren Harris
Darren
Harris
6'6" | SF
Paul VI | 2024
State
#38
Nation
VA
, who recently committed to Duke, is one of the top shooters in the nation by most accounts, and nationally ranked junior wing
Isaiah Abraham
Isaiah
Abraham
6'6" | SG
Paul VI | 2024
State
#92
Nation
VA
brings dynamic athleticism and impact on both ends of the floor. Up front the Panthers are huge, with 6’10” junior Pat Ngongba, 6’9” sophomore
Christian Gurdak
Christian
Gurdak
6'10" | C
Paul VI | 2025
State
VA
(AKA Big Country), 6’8” junior
Garrett Sundra
Garrett
Sundra
6'11" | C
Paul VI | 2024
State
VA
and 6’6” versatile sophomore
Jaquan Womack
Jaquan
Womack
6'7" | PF
Paul VI | 2025
State
VA
.
The key may be in junior point guard
Ben Hammond
Ben
Hammond
5'10" | PG
Paul VI | 2024
State
VA
, who has improved immensely and looks like he’s ready to continue the legacy of talented PVI point guards. Even with all that, they have one of the most talented freshmen you’ll come across this year in 6’3” wing Jordan Smith. This is by far one of the deepest and most talented teams we’ve seen in VA in a long time.
Contenders
Bishop O’Connell


The Knights are a little young at certain positions, but with the return of junior power forward
Jadyn Harris
Jadyn
Harris
6'6" | PF
Bishop O'Connell | 2024
State
VA
along with some very talented young pieces they should get better throughout the year and will be a tough out come playoff time. Harris brings them an alpha dog at the forward position and he’s a walking mismatch with his ability to do a little bit of everything on the floor, and with 6’8” senior
Patrick O’Brien
Patrick
O’Brien
6'8" | C
Bishop O'Connell | 2023
State
VA
and 6’6” senior
Isaiah Shaw
Isaiah
Shaw
6'5" | PF
Bishop O'Connell | 2023
State
VA
they will be big and experienced up front. In the backcourt they are young as they’ll start two freshmen in 6’0” Jasiah Cannady and 6’4” Adam Oummidoch who both made big waves in the live period this summer, and 6’4” sophomore
Shane Lincoln
Shane
Lincoln
6'4" | PG
Bishop O'Connell | 2025
State
VA
gives them another talented weapon who will be the x-factor with his ability to do a little bit of everything. They have decent depth and despite being young, they have the talent to compete with a lot of teams this year.
St. Anne’s-Belfield


Head Coach Damin Altizer enters this season with perhaps his most talented and deep team that he’s had while being at the helm over the past five years, and the Saints actually beat PVI in the DMV Live period this summer. STAB is led up front by 6’9” Vanderbilt commit
Carter Lang
Carter
Lang
6'9" | C
St. Anne's Belfield | 2023
State
#199
Nation
VA
who is one of the most productive players in the state and is a walking double-double, and senior point guard
John St. Germain
John
St. Germain
6'2" | PG
St. Anne's Belfield | 2023
State
VA
is one of the premier lead guards in the state and is the straw that stirs the drink for the Saints. Sophomore guard
Chance Mallory
Chance
Mallory
5'10" | PG
St. Anne's Belfield | 2025
State
VA
may not be the biggest player but he can score it with the best of them and always brings it against top competition, and sophomore wing
Austin Williford
Austin
Williford
6'4" | CG
Saint Anne’s Belfield | 2025
State
VA
is a budding star who gets it done on both ends of the floor. Senior wing
Desmond Roberts
Desmond
Roberts
6'5" | SF
St Anne’s Belfield | 2023
State
VA
who transferred from VES brings some big time athleticism on the wing, and senior Jackson Coppock and sophomore
Gabriel D’Allesandro
Gabriel
D’Allesandro
6'3" | SG
St. Anne's Belfield | 2025
State
VA
provide depth for STAB this year.
Blue Ridge


Blue Ridge makes the jump to division one this year and their resume at division two was unmatched, as Head Coach Cade Lemcke played in the state championship game every year in his eight years at the helm, winning 6 of them including the last four state championships. While it’s a new look for the Barons this year, they still have a super deep lineup with good size and guards that get after it. Junior big man
Shanon Simango
Shanon
Simango
6'6" | C
Blue Ridge | 2024
State
VA
is a beast in the post as he’s a tenacious rebounder and strong finisher that should be a walking double-double this year, and junior
Markus Robinson
Markus
Robinson
6'2" | SG
Veritas | 2024
State
VA
who transferred from Veritas is a talented scorer who can make shots from anywhere on the floor. The senior duo of
Camden Brewer
Camden
Brewer
6'2" | SF
Blue Ridge | 2023
State
VA
and
Diarmid Stewart
Diarmid
Stewart
6'6" | SF
Blue Ridge | 2023
State
VA
get it done on both ends of the floor, and junior Levin Smith and freshman Odita Aguola provide extra depth in the front court.
Dark Horse Contenders
Catholic

The Crusaders have been one of the top teams in the 757 over the past few years, but in Bobby Steinberg’s third year at the helm this is possibly his most talented and deep team that he’s had this year, and he has an absolute game changer in freshman big man Kosi Mgbejiofor who is an athletic freak at 6’11” who dunks and blocks everything and has the tools to be one of the top players in the country in his class. Catholic features a number of guards who can get it done in seniors Aiden Filippini,
CJ McPherson
CJ
McPherson
6'3" | SG
Norfolk Collegiate | 2023
State
VA
and Jaiden Cancela who all have good size, and junior lead guard
Brayden Thorne
Brayden
Thorne
6'1" | PG
Catholic | 2024
State
VA
is a very good floor general who can initiate the offense and score it as well. Junior
Josiah Rickards
Josiah
Rickards
6'3" | CG
Catholic | 2024
State
VA
could be the key, as he’s their top shot creator and maker as well.
St. Stephen’s St. Agnes
While the Saints were looked at as a team that would go through a rebuilding process after long time Head Coach Mike Jones left for DeMatha, the Saints have reloaded with a lot of talented under the radar pieces and have played very well this summer and fall. Senior wing
Bryson Wilson
Bryson
Wilson
6'5" | SF
St Stephen’s And St Agnes | 2023
State
VA
is a 6’6” freak athlete who has come a long way and should have a breakout season, senior
Cole Cosby
Cole
Cosby
6'4" | SF
St. Stephen's And St. Agnes | 2023
State
VA
is a big time shooter and senior guards Niles Alburg and
Jack Murphy
Jack
Murphy
5'11" | PG
St. Stephen's & St. Agnes | 2023
State
VA
provide leadership in the backcourt. Junior forwards
Blake Neal
Blake
Neal
6'6" | PF
St. Stephen' St. Agnes | 2024
State
VA
and
Kyan Bowman
Kyan
Bowman
6'4" | SF
St. Stephen's St. Agnes | 2024
State
VA
provide versatility in the front court, and sophomore point guard
Aiden Argabright
Aiden
Argabright
6'0" | PG
St. Stephen's & St. Agnes | 2025
State
VA
is a budding star to keep an eye on.
Flint Hill
While the Huskies may not have the depth of some of the teams listed above, they do have a lot of talent and will be a team no one wants to face in the first few rounds of the playoffs. American commit
Gibraltar Coleman
Gibraltar
Coleman
6'6" | PF
Flint Hill | 2023
State
VA
is a walking mismatch at 6’7” who can score the ball from anywhere on the floor, and junior front court mate
Quin Gorman
Quin
Gorman
6'8" | PF
Flint Hill | 2024
State
VA
is a budding prospect who can also play inside-out and will be a tough duo to match up with, Senior wing
Nate Pabis
Nate
Pabis
6'5" | SF
Flint Hill | 2023
State
VA
and junior two guard
Doyle Brown
Doyle
Brown
6'1" | SG
Centreville | 2024
State
VA
provide shooting on the perimeter, and the key for their success may come from the guard play as they’ll rely heavily on senior guard
Khaleel Abdullah
Khaleel
Abdullah
6'1" | PG
Flint Hill | 2023
State
VA
and sophomore
Everett Jones
Everett
Jones
6'2" | PG
Flint Hill | 2025
State
VA
to handle the ball this year.