So many of us are grieving the tragic death of former Green Run basketball star Ashley James, me included. Reporters aren't supposed to cry. But I did. Tears of sadness for a life cut short way too soon. Tears of joy for the memories + excitement you provided all. RIP AJ! 🙏
Kids in the 757, don't give up on your dream. 3rd Virginia Beach athlete to win a Super Bowl since 2008.
'08 - Plaxico Burress, Giants, Green Run HS
'14 - Percy Harvin, Seahawks, Landstown HS
'20 - Derrick Nnadi, Chiefs, Ocean Lakes HS
2026? Never know who'll be next...
Breaking News - The Virginia High School League has reinstated out-of-season practice activities, beginning Monday, June 15th. Read more about it here...
I've bit my tongue way too long on this one. Some of the VHSL/VHSCA All-State meetings are a joke. Not enough participating coaches in the room. Too many coaches get in there & have a hidden agenda and rob deserving athletes. Glad we have our own All-State teams at VaPreps!
FINAL in the VHSL Girls Basketball Class 5 State Quarterfinals - Princess Anne 91, Henrico 48. Aziaha James hits a jumper at the buzzer to finish with 41 points.
Remarkable how that young lady played - and did so well - after her brother's tragic death this week.
#LLAJ
Final - Texas 79, Oklahoma 74. A 21-8 run to close. Battle of freshmen PG and the VA native Coleman comes out on top...
Matt Coleman - 22Pts. 8-13FG, 2-5 3's, 4-4FT, 2Ast. 4TO's, 1Reb. 2Stl.
Trae Young - 19Pts. 7-22FG, 2-14 3's, 3-3FT, 14Ast. 5TO's, 5Reb. 2Stl.
Princess Anne junior Aziaha James has been named the VHSL Class 5 Girls Basketball State Player of the Year for 2019-20.
Aziaha averaged 18.7PPG, 8.7RPG, 4.7SPG and 2.1APG as the Lady Cavs claimed their 7th consecutive state title. She had 73 points in two State Tourney wins.
Congrats to Bethel High grad Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (
@j_owuu
), the
#ACC
Defensive Player of the Year at Notre Dame, on being selected 52nd overall by the Cleveland Browns in Round 2 of the 2021
#NFLDraft
.
Honored to be chosen as Co-Capital of the Game tonight before the reigning NBA World Champion Denvet Nuggets and Washington Wizards squared off at Capital One Arena.
Breaking - Hargrave Military Academy guard Ashley 'AJ' James has committed to play his College Basketball at Missouri State in the Missouri Valley.
James, a 2-time 1st Team All-State selection at Green Run, led the Stallions to their first State Tournament trip in 35 years.
FINAL in the VHSL Class 5 State Football Championship - Maury 28, Stone Bridge 21.
Commodores complete a perfect 15-0 season and capture their first state title in 80 years (1939).
With Landstown's 78-28 victory over Bayside on Thursday night, Eagles Head Boys Basketball Coach Dwight Robinson notched his 300th career win. Robinson is now 300-130 in 17 seasons at the helm of the Virginia Beach school.
Landstown sophomore guard Donald Hand Jr. has been named the Region 6A Player of the Year by the coaches.
A season after helping Landstown capture its first state title, Hand led the Eagles to a 15-9 overall record, including 31 points on 7-of-11 3's in a win over Oscar Smith.
The New York Jets select Kecoughtan High grad RB Trenton Cannon at pick
#204
overall in the 6th Round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Cannon is the first Virginia State draft choice since 1996.
BREAKING NEWS - The VHSL has informed us that Friday and Saturday's Finals in the State Basketball Tournament have been cancelled. That means the Class 6, Class 5, Class 4 and Class 3 will recognize co-State Champs.
Gate City grad Mac McClung - who set VHSL records for career points and in the State Championship game just 5 years ago before graduation - put on a show in the NBA Dunk Contest.
Princess Anne's Aziaha James has committed to play her College Basketball in the
#ACC
at NC State.
James was the VHSL Class 5 Girls Basketball State Player of the Year for the second straight season, averaging 36.5 PPG during the 2020 State Tournament.
Oscar Smith sweeps the All-Region 6A Awards as voted on by the coaches.
Romon Copleand Jr. is the Region 6A Offensive Player of the Year.
Malcolm Britt is the Region 6A Defensive Player of the Year.
Chris Scott is Region 6A Coach of the Year.
Full Teams later on VaPreps.
Breaking News - Lake Taylor has named Derek 'Yogi' Edwards as its new Head Boys Basketball Coach, Principal Latesha N. Wade-Jenkins announced.
Edwards previously was an assistant for the Titans, including during their 2017-18 state title run.
More later on VaPreps.
Stone Bridge's unbelievable touchdown from Jacob Thomas to Zeke Wimbush to win the VHSL Class 5 State Football Championship vs. Maury checks in at No. 10 on the SportsCenter Top 10 Plays.
Thomas hit No. 1 on SC's Top 10 Plays back in May, too. 💍💍💍
Can't believe an AAU program had the audacity to hold a tryout today in a Virginia High School building with all that is going on. Absolutely ridiculous!
Princess Anne girls warming up with shirts featuring a photo on the front of Ashley James and his sister, Aziaha, who has taken the court. Backs have the
#LongLiveAJ
hashtag.
Congrats to Christopher Newport University (
@CNUBasketball
) on defeating Mount Union for the Division III National Championship.
All 17 players listed on the roster from the Commonwealth of VA for John Krikorian's Captains of CNU.
Salem's Jonathan Norfleet has been selected as the Beach District 2017-18 Basketball Player of the Year by the coaches. Landstown's Tisheed Jones named the Beach District Defensive Player of the Year. Bobby Wolfe of Cox named the Beach District Coach of the Year.
Got a call this morning that one of my colleagues passed away in his sleep from COVID-19. So on this Valentine's Day, make sure you tell your loved ones and those that have been good to you how much they mean. And please, continue to wear masks + practice social distancing.
Just got word that former Norview Head Football Coach Dealton Cotton, who had been hospitalized for weeks and on a ventilator battling COVID-19, is now home, recovering and improving.
Breaking News - Cape Henry Class of 2019 forward Dajour Rucker has committed to play his College Basketball at
#Marshall
in
#CUSA
, per Dolphins Head Coach Mark Hall. Full Story on VaPreps & Rivals here:
Lake Taylor (Norfolk, VA) product Dereon Seabron of NC State is on ACC Network with Packer & Durham, who named him their mid-season ACC Player of the Year.
Final in VHSL Class 2 State Basketball Championship - John Marshall 91, Radford 34.
Justices (28-0) capture their 5th State Championship under Ty White and cap a postseason where they outscored foes by a margin of 65.5 PPG.
Some Division I schools missed the boat on Phoebus guard Antwan Miles. Big game performer. Clutch. Overcame injuries and was a winner. Outstanding get in my opinion for Lonnie Blow and company at Virginia State.
Breaking News - 2019 forward Michael Christmas has enrolled back at Landstown HS in Virginia Beach, where he was the 6A State Player of the Year last winter. Played earlier this season at Huntington Prep (WV).
Highland Springs grad and Clemson safety K'Von Wallace has been selected 127th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles during the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Second Highland Springs player drafted (Mekhi Becton went to the Jets in Round 1) this year.
Norfolk product Matt Coleman - who starred at Maury High and Oak Hill Academy as well as on the travel circuit for Boo Williams - led Texas with 22 points (7/9FG, 4/5 3's, 4/4FT) and 7 assists in their 70-66 win over No. 23 Purdue.
Princess Anne's Aziaha James has been named the Region 5A Girls Basketball Player of the Year by the coaches for 2019-20.
Princess Anne's Darnell Dozier is the Region 5A Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.
Full Teams available later on .
Potentially some much-needed good news for the sports scene around the Commonwealth? The Virginia High School League announced it is developing plans for the re-opening of Fall Athletics & Activities.
Lakeland High School in Suffolk has named Joe Jones - former defensive coordinator at Oscar Smith - as their new Head Football Coach. Jones was an All-Southeastern District linebacker for the Tigers, setting multiple tackle records, and played College Football at Virginia State.
Highland Springs 2021 DB Damond Harmon has committed to play his College Football for the Oklahoma
#Sooners
in the Big 12.
More to follow on VaPreps & Rivals.
Former Hampton Crabbers guard Jalen Ray and his Hofstra mates will be going dancing to the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Ray had 17 points on 8/9 shooting from the foul line, 3/6 on 3's to go with 8 rebounds as the Pride beat Northeastern 70-61 in the CAA Tourney Championship.
Heartbroken to report the passing of one of my mentors that got me started in sports brodcasting - Tony Mercurio - has passed at the age of 75. Rest in Peace, Blastman. Thanks for giving me my start. 😢
King's Fork High School in Suffolk has hired Kermit Buggs - former assistant football coach at Old Dominion and Penn State - as their new Head Football Coach.
Buggs led Surry High to a state title. More to come later on VaPreps...
Lake Taylor RB Malik Newton has been named the VHSL Class 4 State Offensive Player of the Year.
Lake Taylor LB Ikeem Wright has been named the VHSL Class 4 State Defensive Player of the Year.
Lake Taylor's Hank Sawyer has been named the Class 4 Coach of the Year.
Oscar Smith's Romon Copeland has been named the 2019 VHSL Class 6 State Offensive Player of the Year.
South County's Haris Khan has been named the VHSL Class 6 State Defensive Player of the Year.
South County's Gerry Pannoni has been named the VHSL Class 6 Coach of the Year.
Peninsula District Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Menchville's Chaunce Jenkins
PD Boys Basketball Coach of the Year: Menchville's Lamont Strothers
PD Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Hampton's Jayla Hearp
PD Girls Coach of the Year: Hampton's Shanda Bailey
Breaking News - Shawn Wilson has announced his retirement after 26 years in coaching. Wilson spent the past five seasons as Head Football Coach at Salem in Virginia Beach, going 41-13 overall.
More to come later on
@VaPrepsRivals
.
Landstown 2022 guard Donald 'DJ' Hand Jr. has picked up an offer from James Madison University (
#JMU
). Helped the Eagles capture the Class 6 State Championship in March and Team Loaded 15U win the Adidas Gauntlet title this weekend.
@AKISNBA
@ibelievein3
No he wasn't - stop lying:
All 3 years of the Bulls 3-peat are posted from 95-96 through 97-98. Pippen never finished ahead of Jordan.
Phoebus guard Antwan Miles has been named the Region 3A Boys Basketball Player of the Year by the coaches. Miles led the Peninsula District in scoring each of the past two years. Hopewell's Elvin Edmonds was named Coach of the Year. Full Teams posted later on VaPreps.
Green Run junior guard Jacob Cooper has been named the VHSL Class 5 Boys Basketball State Player of the Year for 2019-20.
Green Run's Kenneth Harris is the VHSL Class 5 Boys Basketball State Coach of the Year.
Full Teams available later on VaPreps.
A night to remember for Marshall LB Tavante Beckett out of Indian River High in Chesapeake. He has not 1. Not 2. But 3 fumble recoveries - including a 38-yard scoop and score - as the Thundering Herd led Western Kentucky 35-0 in the third quarter.
Know it probably gets lost in the Luka Mania, but the 757 product out of I.C. Norcom High in Portsmouth - Dorian Finney-Smith - notched his 2nd double-double in 3 games for the Mavs, with 27 points and 11 boards alongside 5 assists. Both OT wins, too.
Can't figure out for the life of me why no one has yet to draft Quin Blanding. Set UVA record for tackles. ACC record for tackles as a DB. At very least, he could make a special teams player in the league in my opinion. Puzzled.
Final in NCAA D-3 Men's Basketball Championship - Christopher Newport University 74, Mount Union 72.
Trey Barber (Christ Chapel alum) with the game-winner for CNU at the buzzer!
Southeastern District Boys Basketball Player of the Year: King's Fork's Jayden Epps
Southeastern District Coach of the Year: Western Branch's Paul Hall
Full Teams can be seen on VaPreps & Rivals here:
BOOM - Indian River product Lamareon James takes the opening kickoff 100 yards to the house for
@ODUFootball
. What a way to start the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
Encouraged to pass along that colleague and friend
@NorfolkKnights
is resting in the hospital and showing improvement from the report I recieved today. Still has some hurdles to overcome on his recovery. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Oak Hill Academy guard Cole Anthony has been named the 2018-19 Gatorade Virginia Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Anthony is the 13th Gatorade VA Basketball POY chosen from Oak Hill.
History made with Dan River grad and Virginia Tech
#Hokies
safety Terrell Edmunds being selected No. 28 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brother Tremaine went No. 16 overall to the Bills. First time two brothers go in the 1st round of the same
#NFLDraft
7 wins in a row - 3 straight over Richmond - for
@ODUMBB
as they close on a 23-6 run. Monarchs prevail 63-54 to improve to 9-3 overall. B.J. Stith poured in 30 points on 11-17 shooting to go with 12 boards (4th double-double in a row). Ahmad Caver added 19 points & 8 dimes.
Former Norview QB Darriel 'D.J.' Mack (
@DJMactastic1
) put forth a stellar performance as
#UCF
rallied from 17 down after one quarter to beat Memphis 56-41 in the
#AAC
Championship.
Mack Attack - 19 of 27 for 348 pass yards, 2TD's, 0INT's + 59 rush yards and 4TD's.
The Philadelphia Eagles select Florida State
#Seminoles
DE Josh Sweat at
#130
overall (4th Round) in the 2018 NFL Draft. Sweat starred at Oscar Smith (
@OscarSmithFB
) High School in Chesapeake.
A
@SportsCenter
worthy
#SCTopTen
Play here as Green Run senior Ashley James banks in a 3 just inside half-court at the buzzer to give his team a 66-63 win over Nansemond River in Virginia Region 5A semifinal action. It's
@RunStallions
first State Tournament berth since 1984.
Highland Springs (
@gohshsfootball
) Head Football Coach Loren Johnson (
@Coach_LJ_
) has been named the 2018-19 VHSL (
@VHSL_
) Football Coach of the Year.
His Springers have won a VHSL record 4 straight state titles and currently are riding a 37-game winning streak.
From Grassfield High in Chesapeake to the
#ACC
with the Pittsburgh Panthers and now a member of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings. Congrats to Patrick Jones (
@P_jones9
) on being chosen 90th overall in Round 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft.