VISAA D2 Playoff Predictions

The VISAA D2 State Tournament started yesterday with the play in games, and now we're on to quarterfinals with the semifinals and finals set for this weekend at Virginia State. It's one of the most anticipated weekends of basketball in the state, with college coaches and fans flocking to Petersburg for some great hoops action. We take a look at our predictions for the rest of the tournament.   <h2>Semifinal Prediction</h2>   #1 Highland School vs. #4 Steward School   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/12/Cole-Cam.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/12/Cole-Cam.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1341076" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Navy commit Cam Cole has been fantastic for an upstart Highland team this year.</figcaption></figure>   Highland has been the surprise of Virginia high school basketball so far this season, as new coach Logan Miller has led the Hawks to a 27-3 record and the top seed after losing four division one prospects from last year's team. They will matchup with Atlantic Shores in the quarterfinals, and the way that the Hawks have played so far this year against the schedule they have they should have no problem in this one. The backcourt duo of senior Navy commit Cam Cole and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1339892' first='Julian' last='Rivera'], as well as the versatility of 6'5” senior Mount Olive commit DJ Johnson will give them the playmaking and experience that should help them power through to Virginia State.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Blair-Curtis-CBG-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Blair-Curtis-CBG-scaled.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1582217" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Liberty commit Curtis Blair is one of the top scorers in all of VA.</figcaption></figure>   Steward School is in a similar situation with a first year Head Coach in TJ Grimes, and the Spartans have had an up and down year but have a lot of talent to make a play for the state title. They will face #5 Peninsula Catholic in the quarterfinals, and while it isn't an easy matchup by any means the Spartans should have an edge with their size and experience. Senior 6'5” Liberty commit [player_tooltip player_id='992529' first='Curtis' last='Blair III'] leads the way as one of VA's top scorers and he's a guy you can go to in isolation situations when you need a bucket. Senior combo guard and CNU commit Teven Smith has had a huge senior season, and 6'8” junior [player_tooltip player_id='1107851' first='Owen' last='Gray'] provides size and athleticism up front for them and could be the difference maker against a smaller PC team.   Game Prediction   The D2 quarterfinals have been some of the most competitive for years now, and with Blue Ridge out of the picture who dominated D2 for years and finally moved to D1, this is wide open. This matchup in particular is hard to predict, as both teams are balanced and similar, so it really could go either way.   It's hard to pick against Highland who has had such a great season, but the experience of Steward could be the difference. Blair is able to get hot and score it in so many different ways, and if he comes to play he should have a mismatch problem as Highland will need the athletic 6'5” Johnson to guard Gray in the post, leaving Blair with likely a shorter player guarding him. It's a toss up, but gut feeling goes to picking the team with the mismatches in their favor, and that's Steward.   <h2>Semifinal Prediction</h2>   #2 Hargrave vs. #3 Miller School   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/Bracey-Timayahs-TBT.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/Bracey-Timayahs-TBT.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1421264" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sharp shooter [player_tooltip player_id='1759723' first='Timayahs' last='Bracey'] has helped build the Hargrave varsity program the last few years.</figcaption></figure>   Hargrave has had a surprisingly good season, as the program usually doesn't have this much talent on their varsity team as they put most of their effort into the post grad program (who is #1 in the country this year). However, this year they're deep and talented led by junior guard and sharp shooter [player_tooltip player_id='1759723' first='Timayahs' last='Bracey'], junior wing DeAndre Cowan, junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1241882' first='Dante' last='Kearse'] and senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='999652' first='Troy' last='Giles']. They play fast, fly around defensively and have a lot of firepower and good size up front. While they will have to compete with the shear size in the front court of Virginia Academy who boast 6'8” [player_tooltip player_id='1403918' first='Callum' last='Crossman'] and 6'6” David Solomon, they should be able to speed them up and come away with a win in this one.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Delaurier-Eli-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Delaurier-Eli-scaled.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1585825" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1259617' first='Eli' last='DeLaurier'] has had a huge season against a very tough schedule.</figcaption></figure>   Miller School got the 3 seed with 12 losses on the season, but that's because the Mavericks played an unbelievably tough schedule against some of the best teams on the east coast, not shying away from any competition. That will help them at this time of the year, as they're battle tested and much more experienced than the Norfolk Collegiate squad they'll meet in the quarterfinals. They have two of the best players in the state in 6'6” senior George Mason commit [player_tooltip player_id='977592' first='Austin' last='Ball'] and 6'8” junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1259617' first='Eli' last='DeLaurier'], they have size across the board and they have a lot of senior leadership at each position. NoCo is young with many of their top contributors being sophomores, and Miller's size and experience should be a difference maker.   <h2>Game Prediction</h2>   This is another tough one, as Hargrave and Miller have faced off against each other 3 times this season, with Miller blowing them out early in the year and Hargrave getting their revenge in the next two games, winning each by 2 points on their home floor. If they meet on a neutral site, all bets are off and it's going to be a knock down, drag out fight to the end in my opinion.   With Miller having blown them out in their only home matchup and Hargrave squeaking by in their two home matchups, the edge may go the Miller if their top end talent comes to play. Ball is one of the best shooters in the state and at 6'6” will cause matchup problems for Hargrave. DeLaurier has height on all of the Hargrave bigs and his versatility and ability to step out and open cutting and driving lanes, as well as crash the glass and protect the rim will be a factor. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1403920' first='Jordan' last='Horne'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1241878' first='Will' last='Bonde'] bring defensive intensity and more firepower, and the Mavs have been playing such a tough schedule just to get ready for this time of year.   Finals Prediction   It's already a little bold predicting a 3-4 matchup in the state championship, but if it happens it will be a good one featuring two of the top wings in the 2023 class and two of the top bigs in the 2024 class. Both teams are well-rounded and well coached, they have stars they lean on but also run great stuff and get everyone involved and they are two very competitive teams with a lot of toughness.   The game will come down to who can get stops down the stretch, and the advantage there has to go to Miller School. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1241878' first='Will' last='Bonde'] is a super versatile defender who can switch and guard almost every position, senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1403920' first='Jordan' last='Horne'] is an aggressive on-ball defender who will take advantage of the guards who can't handle pressure and then there's junior [player_tooltip player_id='1259617' first='Eli' last='DeLaurier'] in the back to protect the rim. The Mavericks can muck up the game and can score it when they need to, so they can make it happen in multiple ways.

The VISAA D2 State Tournament started yesterday with the play in games, and now we're on to quarterfinals with the semifinals and finals set for this weekend at Virginia State. It's one of the most anticipated weekends of basketball in the state, with college coaches and fans flocking to Petersburg for some great hoops action. We take a look at our predictions for the rest of the tournament.