Barksdale’s star is rising
Fred Jeter | 3/28/2024, 6 p.m.
Some of history’s most prominent big men have made their mark in the Virginia High School League basketball tournament.
While he has a way to go, Silas Barksdale is on a path to join a list featuring Ralph Sampson (Harrisonburg), Moses Malone (Petersburg), Alonzo Mourning (Indian River) and J.R. Reid (Kempsville).
Listed at anywhere from 6-foot-9 to 6-foot-11, Barksdale was named Class 5 State Player of Year after leading Woodside of Newport News to the state title with a 53-33 win over L.C. Bird in the finals.
The junior averaged 19 points and 16 rebounds for the season. That included 17 points and 14 boards in the grand finale against Bird. Woodside finished 27-1.
He is rated a Five-Star prospect (on scale of 1 to 5) by Rivals and a Four-Star prospect by 247Sports. Scholarship offers are coming from all over. That includes Virginia Tech, Old Dominion, Richmond, Hampton and Norfolk State in-state — and Iowa, Maryland, Illinois, Pittsburgh and Mississippi State.
If fans missed seeing him this year, they might have a second chance. Silas & Co. will likely return to the Siegel Center next year for an encore in 2025.
On the girls side, Armstrong junior Cherish Daily was named to the second team of the Class 3 All-State Team.
Daily averaged 25.1 points while leading the Wildcats to a 12-10 record and the second round of the region playoffs.
