Numerous area teams on the hunt for titles
Hampton Christian’s girls seeded first in Division IV
The Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association tournaments get underway today, and here’s a look at some Hampton Roads contenders and the schedule for boys and girls basketball:
Boys basketball
Catholic (24-8) has won seven of its last eight games. The Crusaders are led by Ashton Walker (18.0 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game), Brayden Thorne (13.9 ppg), Alex Pissis (13.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Josiah Rickards (12.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg).
Atlantic Shores (20-15) won six in a row to earn a spot in the state tournament.
Peninsula Catholic (23-9) began the season 0-4 and 2-5, but put together a 10-game winning streak and won 17 of 18. Guard EJ Joyner is averaging 16 points and 2.3 steals. Jaylen Wynn (14.9 ppg), Devin Gaines (12.1 ppg) and Malcolm Velmar (11.9 ppg) also have contributed.
Norfolk Collegiate (30-4) has won 10 in a row and has taken the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools regular-season and tournament titles. Brennan Chatman, the TCIS Player of the Year, is averaging 16.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. They also have Rashaad Williams (14.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.2 spg), Khalil Caple (13.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Justin Burrough (12.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg).
Hampton Christian (25-5) had an 11-game winning streak earlier this season. Warriors 6-5 senior Sean O’Connor is averaging 23.1 points and 6.3 rebounds.
DIVISION I
First round (today):
St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes at #8 Benedictine
Woodberry Forest at #5 Bishop Ireton
Flint Hill at #6 St. Christopher’s
Trinity Episcopal at #7 Catholic
Quarterfinals (Wednesday):
SSSA-Benedictine winner at #1 Paul VI
Woodberry Forest-Bishop Ireton winner at #4 Blue Ridge Flint Hill-St. Christopher’s winner at #3 Bishop O’Connell Trinity Episcopal-Catholic winner at #2 St. Anne’s-Belfield Semifinals (Friday at higher seeds):
Upper bracket
Lower bracket
Championship game (Saturday at Benedictine, in Goochland County):
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
DIVISION II
First round (today):
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy at #8 Virginia Episcopal Fredericksburg Christian at #5 Steward
North Cross at #6 Seton
Atlantic Shores at #7 Hargrave Military Academy Quarterfinals (Wednesday):
Nansemond-Suffolk – Virginia Episcopal winner at #1 Miller Fredericksburg Christian-Steward winner at #4 Peninsula Catholic
Seton-North Cross winner at #3 Norfolk Collegiate
Atlantic Shores-Hargrave Military winner at #2 Highland Semifinals (Friday at higher seeds):
Upper bracket
Lower bracket
Championship game (Saturday at Steward):
Semifinal winners, noon
DIVISION III First round (today):
Brunswick Academy at #8 Immanuel Christian
Christ Chapel Academy at #5 Grace Christian
Wakefield School at #6 Kenston Forest
Roanoke Catholic at #7 King Abdullah Academy Quarterfinals (Wednesday):
Brunswick Academy-Immanuel Christian winner at #1 Fairfax Christian
Christ Chapel-Grace Christian winner at #4 Life Christian Academy
Wakefield School-Kenston Forest winner at #3 Carmel Roanoke Catholic-King Abdullah Academy winner at #2 Eastern Mennonite
Semifinals (Friday at higher seeds):
Upper bracket
Lower bracket
Championship game (Saturday at Steward):
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
DIVISION IV
First round (today):
Denbigh Baptist at #8 Williamsburg Christian Academy
Grace Christian at #5 Banner Christian
Guardian Christian Academy at #6 St. Michael the Archangel StoneBridge at #7 Stuart Hall
Quarterfinals (Wednesday):
Denbigh Baptist-Williamsburg Christian winner at #1 Carlisle Grace Christian-Banner Christian winner at #4 Rise Academy Guardian Christian-St. Michael the Archangel winner at #3 Hampton Christian
StoneBridge-Stuart Hall winner at #2 New Covenant Semifinals (Friday at higher seeds):
Upper bracket
Lower bracket
Championship game (Saturday at Benedictine, in Goochland County):
Semifinal winners, 4 p.m.
— Larry Rubama
Girls basketball
The three schools with the best chances of advancing to a VISAA championship game — Catholic (25-6) in Division I, Norfolk Christian (22-8) in Division II and Hampton Christian (23-0) in Division IV — have byes until Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Hampton Christian, led by Mikaela Lee’s 21.7 points per game, is not considered as strong as Catholic or Norfolk Christian, but is perhaps better situated at its level to win a championship.
DIVISION I
First round (today):
#9 Collegiate at #8 Flint Hill, 5 p.m.
#12 Saint John Paul the Great Catholic at #5 St. Anne’s-Belfield, 6:15 p.m.
#11 Saint Gertrude at #6 Episcopal, 6 p.m.
#10 St. Catherine’s at #7 Bishop O’Connell
Quarterfinals (Wednesday):
Collegiate-Flint Hill winner at #1 Paul VI
Saint John Paul-STAB winner at #4 Potomac School
Saint Gertrude-Episcopal winner at #3 Catholic
St. Catherine’s-Bishop O’Connell winner at #2 Bishop Ireton Semifinals (Friday at Benedictine, in Goochland County): Upper bracket, 5:30 p.m.
Lower bracket, 7:15 p.m.
Championship game (Saturday at Benedictine):
2 p.m. DIVISION II
First round (today): #9 Christchurch at #8 Miller School of Albemarle, 6 p.m.
#12 Foxcroft at #5 Seton
#11 Cape Henry Collegiate at #6 Virginia Episcopal
#10 Isle of Wight Academy at #7 Hampton Roads Academy Quarterfinals (Wednesday):
Christchurch-Miller winner at #1 Steward
Foxcroft-Seton winner at #4 Covenant
Cape Henry-Virginia Episcopal winner at #3 Norfolk Christian Isle of Wight-HRA winner at #2 Virginia Academy
Semifinals (Friday at Steward):
Upper bracket, 2 p.m.
Lower bracket, 3:45 p.m.
Championship game (Saturday at Steward): 4 p.m. DIVISION III
First round (today):
#9 StoneBridge at #8 Wakefield School
#12 Westover Christian Academy at #5 Brunswick Academy, 6 p.m.
#11 Roanoke Catholic at #6 Walsingham Academy
#10 Kenston Forest at #7 Richmond Christian
Quarterfinals (Wednesday):
StoneBridge-Wakefield winner at #1 Carlisle
Westover Christian-Brunswick Academy winner at #4 Grace Christian of Staunton
Roanoke Catholic-Walsingham winner at #3 New Covenant Kenston Forest-Richmond Christian winner at #2 St. Margaret’s
Semifinals (Friday at Steward):
Upper bracket, 5:30 p.m.
Lower bracket, 7:15 p.m.
Championship game (Saturday at Steward):
6 p.m. DIVISION IV First round (today):
#9 Grace Christian of Mechanicsville at #8 Broadwater Academy, 5:30 p.m.
#12 Fuqua at #5 Denbigh Baptist, 4:30 p.m.
#11 Tidewater Academy at #6 Blessed Sacrament Huguenot, 5:30 p.m.
#10 Grove Christian at #7 Southampton Academy Quarterfinals (Wednesday):
Grace Christian of Mechanicsville-Broadwater winner at #1 Hampton Christian
Fuqua-Denbigh Baptist at #4 St. Michael the Archangel Tidewater Academy-Blessed Sacrament Huguenot winner at #3 Chelsea Academy
Grove Christian-Southampton Academy at #2 Christ Chapel Academy
Semifinals (Friday at Benedictine, in Goochland County): Upper bracket, 2 p.m.
Lower bracket, 3:45 p.m.
Championship game (Saturday at Benedictine):
Semifinal winners, noon