Hargrave Military tournament starts tonight

The annual First Piedmont Invitational Tournament at Chatham, Va., Hargrave Military Academy will feature four outstanding post-graduate prep schools, all with twenty or more wins this season. The "host" school, Hargrave Military Academy, with Maryland signee Shane Clark, is the favorite to repeat as champions in this competitive event. For more details click on Rivals.com Ultimate Ticket.

Although most of the top players on his Hargrave Military Academy team have either signed or committed to a college, Coach Kevin Keatts told Rivals.com that many Division I coaches will be attending this event during the weekend.

Tonight at 6:00 p.m. Fork Union, Va., Military Academy (26-1) will play Virginia Beach, Va., Coastal Christian Academy (26-6). Coach Fletcher Arritt's Fork Union Blue Devils are led by Air Force signee, 6-foot-7 forward Mason Wooldridge; and top unsigned prospects, Charlotte, N.C., resident, 6-foot-6 forward Mantoris Robinson, 6-foot-5 guard/forward Julian Sullinger of Columbus, Ohio, and blazing quick 5-foot-11 point guard Brandon McThay of Deerfield Beach, Fla.

The top performers for Coach Walter Webb's Coastal Christian team are Georgia recruit, 6-foot-7 power/wing forward Terrance Woodbury; Missouri-bound, 6-foot-9 center/forward Leo Criswell; and athletic 6-foot-6 guard/forward David Jefferson. Reportedly, Jefferson may soon commit to Florida State.

In the 8:00 p.m. game tonight Woodstock, Va., Massanutten Military Academy (20-7), will face Hargrave Military Academy (26-1). Coach Bruce Kreutzer'sMassanutten squad features talented Cameroon resident, 6-foot-7 forward Fabrise Tafo; rugged 6-foot-8 Michigan resident, center/forward Bill Eaddy; and West Virginia native, 6-foot-7 forward Tyler Benson.

Coach Kevin Keatts' Hargrave Military Celtics, still smarting from their 95-83 loss to Laurinburg Institute Prep in the U.S. Prep National Championship Game last weekend in Boone, N.C., will be looking to win their own tournament. The key players for Hargrave are hardnosed 6-foot-7 forward Sam Young (Pittsburgh); sharpshooter 6-foot-6 guard/forward A.D. Vassallo (Richmond); super athlete 6-foot-7 forward Shane Clark (Maryland); St. Louis U. signee, 6-foot-5 point guard Tommie Liddell; and recent Villanova addition, 6-foot-5 guard Bilal Benn.

No one can predict what will happen when four evenly matched teams compete. However, based upon their accomplishments this season, our expectation is that in-state "arch-rivals" Fork Union Military Academy will play Hargrave Military Academy in the championship game on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. The Third Place game will be at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

The only time these two teams have played each other this season was in the championship game of the Fork Union Invitational Tournament in Fork Union, Va., on December 11. Hargrave won that game 83-64, giving Fork Union their only loss.

Rest assured that coaches Fletcher Arritt and Kevin Keatts will have their respective teams ready to go to war.

That is, if both survive their opening round games tonight.

Rivals.com will cover this event.