Your 2024-25 VHSL State Boys Basketball Champions were the following:
Class 6 - South Lakes
Class 5 - Green Run
Class 4 - Atlee
Class 3 - Spotswood
Class 2 - John Marshall
Class 1- George Wythe
Who do you see winning the titles in 2025-26?
It's still early here to forecast with it being football season and August... but... a couple thoughts on each class from yours truly.
Class 6 - Teams to beat look like Landstown out of Virginia Beach and Westfield out of Northern Virginia. Each made the State Playoffs last season with the Eagles of Landstown falling to South Lakes in the semis and Westfield falling to C.G. Woodson in the quarters. Landstown brings back a wealth of talent, led by Coach Dwight Robinson's son Damien (2027 talent). Westfield didn't have a single senior in its starting five last winter.
Class 5 - Much more up for grabs with the transfer departures from some key teams like Albemarle and Riverside, a couple of Final Four programs, losing players to private schools. Even ditto for Woodside with Silas Barksdale moving on to UVA and PG Callen Morrison transferring to Denbigh. But even with Green Run's 1-2 punch of All-State 1st Team performer David 'Trey' Miller and Kassidy Jackson graduating, the Stallions return a trio of starters and welcome in two-sport talent Zaevion Cleveland, a Virginia Tech football commit. They may be the leader in the pack... for now.
Class 4 - It's hard to imagine Atlee getting back to the title game. It was a special year for Rally Axselle's Raiders. Will Hopkins was a do-it-all guard that graduated. Class 4 is incredibly deep with Tuscarora led by D-1 commit Collin Byrd, Heritage-Leesburg very balanced, Hampton bringing size to the table, and Varina always athletic with multi-sport athletes from the football team. My favorite? It might end up being Handley as Coach Zach Harrell-Zook has a nice trio with Will Braun-Duin, Christian Dinges and Kyren Oglesby leading the way to get back to the Final Four round, perhaps a step further.
Class 3 - "It's our time now." That's what Tema Loaded AAU boss man Ty White said in April after he was hired as the new Head Coach of Petersburg. While Central District rival Hopewell will be a stiff challenge with returnees like DeShawn Spellman and Nick Byrd from their Class 3 runner-up team, the Crimson Wave are loaded (no pun intended). A couple of Top 100 recruits in the country in Latrell Allmond and Mississippi State commit LaDarius Givan give them a towering front-line, complemented by the perimeter play of Cam Claiborne, Kelvin Anderson and King Bacot, younger brother of former UNC standout Armando Bacot. King is widely regarded as one of the best incoming freshmen in the country.
Class 2 - Can John Marshall stay at the top of the heap with the departures of key players and Ty White moving over to Petersburg? That's the big question. It opens the door for teams like Bruton, Central-Woodstock and Floyd County, three programs that have all been in the State Tournament rather recently, as well as Graham, depending on much of a boost they get from football. Keep an eye on Nelson County, though. The Dogwood District Champs made great strides in 2024-25. Colton Ward (6-8, 220 F) put up 20.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game last winter. Bryce Giles (6-3, 250 F/G) averaged 17.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Each returns for the Governors in the quest of reaching the pinnacle.
Class 1 - We've seen some high-scoring outputs lately from teams like Lancaster, Auburn and George Wythe in finishing atop the smallest classification of Virginia High School Hoops. Will a more deliberate style win out or another team that can play an up-tempo brand? While the field should feature more parity than normal, keep an eye on the Luray Bulldogs moving down to Region 1B. Matthew Owens, a 6-foot-3 guard from the Class of 2026, not only possesses a great first name (see what I did there?), but a terrific shooting stroke. Owens has made a whopping 135 three-pointers over the past two seasons and is coming off an All-State junior campaign where he averaged 17.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per contest.
Class 6 - South Lakes
Class 5 - Green Run
Class 4 - Atlee
Class 3 - Spotswood
Class 2 - John Marshall
Class 1- George Wythe
Who do you see winning the titles in 2025-26?
It's still early here to forecast with it being football season and August... but... a couple thoughts on each class from yours truly.
Class 6 - Teams to beat look like Landstown out of Virginia Beach and Westfield out of Northern Virginia. Each made the State Playoffs last season with the Eagles of Landstown falling to South Lakes in the semis and Westfield falling to C.G. Woodson in the quarters. Landstown brings back a wealth of talent, led by Coach Dwight Robinson's son Damien (2027 talent). Westfield didn't have a single senior in its starting five last winter.
Class 5 - Much more up for grabs with the transfer departures from some key teams like Albemarle and Riverside, a couple of Final Four programs, losing players to private schools. Even ditto for Woodside with Silas Barksdale moving on to UVA and PG Callen Morrison transferring to Denbigh. But even with Green Run's 1-2 punch of All-State 1st Team performer David 'Trey' Miller and Kassidy Jackson graduating, the Stallions return a trio of starters and welcome in two-sport talent Zaevion Cleveland, a Virginia Tech football commit. They may be the leader in the pack... for now.
Class 4 - It's hard to imagine Atlee getting back to the title game. It was a special year for Rally Axselle's Raiders. Will Hopkins was a do-it-all guard that graduated. Class 4 is incredibly deep with Tuscarora led by D-1 commit Collin Byrd, Heritage-Leesburg very balanced, Hampton bringing size to the table, and Varina always athletic with multi-sport athletes from the football team. My favorite? It might end up being Handley as Coach Zach Harrell-Zook has a nice trio with Will Braun-Duin, Christian Dinges and Kyren Oglesby leading the way to get back to the Final Four round, perhaps a step further.
Class 3 - "It's our time now." That's what Tema Loaded AAU boss man Ty White said in April after he was hired as the new Head Coach of Petersburg. While Central District rival Hopewell will be a stiff challenge with returnees like DeShawn Spellman and Nick Byrd from their Class 3 runner-up team, the Crimson Wave are loaded (no pun intended). A couple of Top 100 recruits in the country in Latrell Allmond and Mississippi State commit LaDarius Givan give them a towering front-line, complemented by the perimeter play of Cam Claiborne, Kelvin Anderson and King Bacot, younger brother of former UNC standout Armando Bacot. King is widely regarded as one of the best incoming freshmen in the country.
Class 2 - Can John Marshall stay at the top of the heap with the departures of key players and Ty White moving over to Petersburg? That's the big question. It opens the door for teams like Bruton, Central-Woodstock and Floyd County, three programs that have all been in the State Tournament rather recently, as well as Graham, depending on much of a boost they get from football. Keep an eye on Nelson County, though. The Dogwood District Champs made great strides in 2024-25. Colton Ward (6-8, 220 F) put up 20.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game last winter. Bryce Giles (6-3, 250 F/G) averaged 17.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Each returns for the Governors in the quest of reaching the pinnacle.
Class 1 - We've seen some high-scoring outputs lately from teams like Lancaster, Auburn and George Wythe in finishing atop the smallest classification of Virginia High School Hoops. Will a more deliberate style win out or another team that can play an up-tempo brand? While the field should feature more parity than normal, keep an eye on the Luray Bulldogs moving down to Region 1B. Matthew Owens, a 6-foot-3 guard from the Class of 2026, not only possesses a great first name (see what I did there?), but a terrific shooting stroke. Owens has made a whopping 135 three-pointers over the past two seasons and is coming off an All-State junior campaign where he averaged 17.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per contest.
