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VHSL state tournaments: Princess Anne-Norview showdown highlights girls basketball quarterfinals

marty o'brien, the virginian-pilot
·5 min read

The Virginia High School League state basketball tournaments begin on Friday and include a marquee matchup between two of the seven Hampton Roads girls teams to make it to the quarterfinals. Norview, No. 1 in the 757Teamz rankings much of the season, plays at eight-time defending Class 5 state champion Princess Anne.

Semifinals are scheduled for Monday or Tuesday at the higher-seeded team’s home site. Class 3 and 4 championship games will be Thursday at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center, and the Class 5 championship game — which definitely will include a Hampton Roads school — is Friday, March 11, at VCU.

Walsingham Academy is the lone area school to reach the private schools’ VISAA state semifinals.

Class 5 quarterfinals

Friday — Briar Woods at Glen Allen, 6 p.m.; Highland Springs at Woodgrove, 7 p.m.; Kempsville at Menchville, 7 p.m.; Norview at Princess Anne, 7 p.m.

The buzz: Princess Anne looks to add to its VHSL-record eight consecutive state titles, although it was surpassed during the regular season at No. 1 in the 757Teamz rankings after a 31-point loss to Hampton — the Cavaliers’ first defeat to a local team in five years. Point guard Zakiya Stephenson (17 points per game) transferred back from a private school a week later, and the Region A champion Cavaliers (18-1), with 13 consecutive victories, have been rolling since. She and Beach District Co-Player of the Year Tinasia Spencer (13.4 ppg) give the Cavaliers a formidable backcourt. The Pilots (19-5), who lost 43-29 to Menchville in the Region B final, counter with a strong 1-2 punch in Diamond Wiggins (17 ppg) and Jada Bryant (9.1 rebounds per game). Menchville (21-3) got about five minutes in the region final from Kiara Beal, its star in 2020, and her return from injury should improve the Monarchs’ state tournament hopes. Amari Smith (21.8 ppg, 8 rpg) has been the Monarchs’ standout in her absence. Kempsville (18-6) didn’t get star Zakyah Lindsay (21.5 ppg, 14.0 rpg) back for the region tournament as hoped, but the sophomore trio of Kiyah Fitchett, Kenya Ramsey and Chaise Hannibal have combined for an average of 55 points in her absence. Glen Allen beat Highland Springs 48-21 to win the Region C title, while Woodgrove beat Briar Woods 63-42 in the Region D final.

Class 4 quarterfinals

Friday — E.C. Glass at Millbrook, 6:30 p.m.; Sherando at Pulaski County, 6 p.m.; Manor at Eastern View, 7 p.m.; Powhatan at King’s Fork, 5:30 p.m.

The buzz: King’s Fork cleared a big hurdle on its path to the Class 4 final by beating Smithfield 71-65 in the Region A semifinals, then handily beat Manor 82-61 in the region final. The Bulldogs look to become the first Suffolk school ever to win a girls public-school state title. Their coach, Maurice Fofana, won a state title in 1995 as a player with Nansemond River of Suffolk. The Bulldogs are deep in athleticism and scorers, led by Cyriah Griffin (15 ppg, 7 assists per game), Niyah Gaston (16 ppg) and Arlisha Boston (15.5 ppg). Manor earned its state tournament berth with a 58-56 region semifinal victory over Deep Creek on Desire Short’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer as time expired. But the Mustangs should be a serious threat against Eastern View, which beat Powhatan 53-50 in the Region B final. Millbrook won the Region C title by defeating Sherando 57-48, and Pulaski won Region D by beating E.C. Glass 54-43.

Class 3 quarterfinals

Friday: Staunton River at Spotswood, 6 p.m.; Fort Defiance at Carroll County, 7 p.m.; New Kent at Meridian, 7 p.m.; Brentsville District at Lakeland, 7 p.m.

The buzz: Lakeland (15-5) beat New Kent 51-41 in the Region A final in what was essentially a matchup of defending region champions (Lakeland won the 2020 title but sat out 2021 because of COVID). The Cavaliers — led by Ke’monye Canady (19 ppg, 5 steals per game) — played their best basketball of the season in the tournament and will need to continue that form in a competitive side of the state bracket. Brentsville District fell 67-22 in the Region B final to Meridian (22-1) — Lakeland’s opponent in the semifinals should it win Friday. Spotswood beat Fort Defiance 76-68 in the Region C final, and Carroll County defeated Staunton River 67-54 in the Region D title game.

VISAA Division III semifinals

Friday: Walsingham Academy (16-6) vs. Christ Chapel Academy (11-7), 1:45 p.m. on Benedictine’s campus in Goochland.

The buzz: No. 3 seed Walsingham beat StoneBridge of Chesapeake 68-19 in the quarterfinals and is in a semifinal for the first time since 2009, when it won its third consecutive state title. The Trojans are led by 3-point shooting ace Nicole Hagopian (14 ppg) and Julia Wilson (10 ppg, 10 rpg). Should they win against their opponent from Woodbridge, they will play at noon Saturday in the state final against the winner of top-seeded Virginia Academy against Trinity at Meadow View. Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (18-7) lost to Covenant 39-32 in the Division II quarterfinals despite 13 points from Cammy Reid. Catholic (29-5) reached the Division I state tournament, beating Collegiate 70-38 in the first round behind Cate Carlson’s 18 points before falling 60-54 in the quarterfinals despite Jorah Eppley’s 20 points.