VHSL Class 3 Top Contenders

<p>While some areas are still up in the air about whether they’ll be playing and some that have already shut it down, there was a large portion of public school teams in VA that started their seasons this past week. We’re cautiously optimistic that we will have an entire high school season, and with that we will take a look at some state contenders in each of the classifications. Here’s a look at six teams in Class 3 that we expect to be contending come late in the season.</p> <p><strong>Preseason Favorite: Hopewell Blue Devils</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1023817" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Edmonds-Elvin-MVP.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1023817" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Edmonds-Elvin-MVP-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> 2021 Bucknell commit [player_tooltip player_id="798682" first="Elvin" last="Edmonds"].[/caption] <p>Class 3 is wide open this year, and Hopewell is a team that has fallen just short over the past few years of making the trip to VCU but this is the year they could be able to make that run. Led by 6’2” combo guard and Bucknell commit [player_tooltip player_id="798682" first="Elvin" last="Edmonds"], he’s one of the top scorers in the state and has the leadership and experience to be the state player of the year. Fellow seniors in the backcourt in LJ Ellis and James Pelham give them plenty of firepower that all play on both ends as well.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Other Contenders</strong></p> <p><strong>Northside</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1015656" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Journiette-Ayrion.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1015656" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Journiette-Ayrion-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> 2022 Ayrion Journiette.[/caption] <p>Northside has been the top team in Roanoke over the past few years, including winning the Class 3 state championship in 2019, and while they had some rebuilding last year they are ready to take on any and everyone in Class 3 this year. They have experience with senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="957911" first="Jamison" last="Foley"] and lead guard Quentin Slash, they have a few budding stars in junior Ayrion Journiette and sophomore Sidney Webb and they have the confidence to get it done. They also have a legendary coach in Bill Pope who will have them prepared from day one.</p> <p><strong>Spotswood</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1071064" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/0-1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1071064" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/0-1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1106034" first="Carmelo" last="Pacheco"].[/caption] <p>Spotswood is another program that has had tons of success in the past, and they have one of their best teams they’ve had in a while. Head Coach Chad Edwards has helped develop a lot of talent over the past few years in the Harrisonburg area, and when he says he’s excited about this team’s potential he isn’t blowing smoke anywhere. 6’4” junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1106034" first="Carmelo" last="Pacheco"], the only sophomore named to the Class 3 All-State team last year, has shown terrific improvement and can flat out light it up, and could be in the running for state player of the year moving forward.</p> <p><strong>Charlottesville</strong></p> <p>The Black Knights of Charlottesville surprised a lot of people last year as they made a run to the state tournament and return a lot of their firepower from last year. They’re a fast paced team that plays hard on both ends and can fill it up and run with the best of them. Senior point guard and All-State selection last year [player_tooltip player_id="957908" first="Zymir" last="Faulkner"] will be one of the best players in the area and in the state, and he has the ability to take over a game at will and get it done against pretty much anyone.</p> <p><strong>Western Albemarle</strong></p> <p>Western is a team that is as well coached and consistent as anyone, as they have been to the state tournament time and time again and always have guys that are waiting in the wind. They also always have a ton of size, and despite losing All-State forward Tommy Magnum, they have a front court duo of 6’8” junior [player_tooltip player_id="962797" first="Henry" last="Sullivan"] and 6’7” sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="999635" first="Josh" last="Sime"] that will cause nightmares for other teams as they dominate the paint on both ends. The x-factor will be senior guard Andrew Shifflet, one of the most under the radar guys and a rock at the point guard position who is a natural born leader and someone guys will work extremely hard for because he leads by example.</p> <p><strong>Independence</strong></p> <p>In just the second year of the schools existence, Head Coach Corey Stitzel has wasted no time in developing a young group of very talented guys that fit his uptempo style very well. They have a terrific backcourt led by 2023 point guard [player_tooltip player_id="999627" first="Wesley" last="Williams"] who already holds an offer from Duquesne, and 2022 Jack Gagen, both of whom can play either backcourt position and both score it and make others better. Freshman big man Gabreil Coulthurst has shown great potential early, and had a double-double in his first game of the year.</p>