Today I’m joined by Chris Jollay of NOVAhoops to preview the 2026 regional basketball tournaments across Northern Virginia. We break down which teams are best positioned to reach the state playoffs, revisit the moments that got them here, and highlight the players and coaches who could shape this pivotal week.

Contents:

00:00 Intro

06:15 Class 6C — Occoquan Region Boys

24:15 Class 6D — Northern Region Boys

36:57 Class 6B Boys

52:07 Class 5C Boys

59:08 Class 4 Boys

1:07:03 Class 4 Girls

1:16:50 Class 5 Girls

1:21:28 Class 6D — Northern Region Girls

1:27:40 Class 6C — Occoquan Region Girls

1:31:44 Class 6B Girls

On today’s episode I’m joined by Spotswood High School head coach Chris Dodson, one of Virginia’s most accomplished basketball coaches and a six-time state champion. Coach Dodson reflects on his journey from growing up in Page County to attending Bridgewater College and ultimately building a powerhouse program at Spotswood in Rockingham County.We talk about the mentors and lessons that shaped his coaching philosophy, how coaching — and parenting — has evolved in the era of social media, and why each championship season has carried a different meaning. We also discuss his family’s coaching legacy, including his daughter Tayler Cook, who has captured a state title of her own.We close by previewing this year’s Spotswood team, which enters the postseason with just one loss and high expectations. A great conversation with a true Virginia high school coaching legend.

On this episode, I’m joined by five of Northern Virginia’s top basketball coaches for a wide-ranging, mid-to-late-season look at Loudoun County hoops, the kind of conversation that only happens once the games have accumulated enough truth to tell a story.Joining me are Ben Farquhar (Heritage), Jeff Hawes (Potomac Falls), Michael Newkirk (Tuscarora), Jacob Krogh (Broad Run), and Konstantine Papastergiou (Woodgrove). Together, we take stock of where their teams are now compared to where they thought they’d be, which players have emerged as the season has unfolded, and what really matters when you’re trying to make a deep postseason run rather than just survive February.From there, we walk district by district through Catoctin, Dulles, and Potomac, handicapping the strongest teams, the most impactful players, and the matchups that will shape the stretch run as the regular season winds down.We close with a coach’s-eye view of the late season: how preparation and messaging change when margins get thinner, how rhythm is affected by school closures and snow, and what separates teams that peak at the right time from those that don’t.Insightful, honest, and rooted in the day-to-day realities of the local game, this is another must-listen episode for anyone who follows Northern Virginia basketball closely—or wants to understand why this part of the state continues to produce such compelling high-school hoops.

Today I'm joined by longtime friend, fellow UVA alum, and writer Maggie Light, whose debut novel Polar Opposites is a smart, warm, and unexpectedly deep young-adult rom-com set against the realities of modern adolescence and climate anxiety.A 2001 graduate of the University of Virginia and now an Assistant Professor at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, Maggie’s path has been anything but linear — from early success in eDiscovery sales, to an American Idol audition, to acting in LA, to sobriety, graduate school, teaching, and finally, publishing her first novel.In this wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, Maggie and I discuss:• Her journey from sales to storytelling• The leap from Washington, DC to Los Angeles• American Idol, acting dreams, and creative reinvention• Sobriety and how honesty reshaped her life and work• Writing Polar Opposites — a YA rom-com with climate at its core• Why Gen Z's may be wiser than we give them credit for• Teaching writing, following genre rules (and breaking them)• Self-publishing, rejection, and redefining success• Selling your own work — and why it’s harder than selling anything else• Whether Polar Opposites could become a movie 👀What emerges is a candid, thoughtful meditation on creativity, failure, ambition, climate storytelling, and what it means to build a life that actually fits.

In my third conversation with ESPN Investigative Reporter TJ Quinn, we start with the latest wave of gambling scandals and the question at the center of modern sports:Can you trust what you’re watching?TJ connects today’s moment to the Black Sox scandal, explains why prop bets are especially risky, and why concerns about sports betting and integrity aren’t going away anytime soon.We then turn to college sports — the NIL and transfer-portal Wild West, coaching buyouts, and whether the NCAA has a real future at all. TJ argues that the idea of “pure” college sports was always partly a myth, and that player compensation, however messy, was inevitable.From there, we zoom out to sports media and journalism:the clip-driven ecosystem, the incentives that reward controversy over nuance, and what that means for how sports are covered.We close with baseball — why the pitch clock worked, what’s coming with automated balls and strikes, and why Shohei Ohtani already belongs in the greatest-ever conversation.If you care about sports integrity, the business behind the games, and the future of sports journalism, this one’s for you.

Today we catch up on the Northern Virginia boys basketball scene with Chris Jollay of NOVAhoops. We break down the hottest players and teams as the postseason approaches and take a closer look at which programs are positioned to make deep runs and contend for postseason honors.Contents00:00 Heritage v Broad Run08:00 6D Liberty District14:22 6D Concorde District22:20 6C Patriot District29:30 6C National District35:20 6B Cedar Run District40:50 6B Cardinal District47.55 5D Potomac District54:00 4C Dulles District1:00:45 4C Catoctin District1:05:23 Other schools including private and the Commonwealth District

On today’s episode, I’m joined by a panel of top Northern Virginia high school basketball coaches for a wide-ranging conversation on the NOVA hoops landscape. We break down the top teams and players in the area, look ahead to the stretch run of the season, and tackle several hot-button issues impacting the local game.Topics include:Unrealistic expectations placed on players by parentsThe impact of the recent snowstorm on schedules and postseason preparationWhether the 2025–26 season represents a “down year” for Northern Virginia basketball — and what that really meansJoining me for the discussion:Doug Craig — WoodsonSherman Rivers — PatriotDavid Houston — West PotomacMike Desmond — South LakesCarlos Poindexter — HayfieldInsightful, candid, and grounded in decades of coaching experience, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at where NOVA basketball is right now — and where it’s headed next.

Today I’m joined by first-year UVA students Titus Powars (McLean HS), Andrew Kennedy (W-L), and John Poplawski (Oakton) to talk about their transition from Northern Virginia soccer standouts to club players and students at the University of Virginia.We discuss the academic and soccer adjustments they’ve faced in their first few months on Grounds, the lessons they’ve learned early on, and how life has changed since leaving high school. We wrap up by looking back at last season, sharing their perspectives on the top players and coaches in NOVA soccer.Always great catching up with these talented players—and some seriously funny guys.

Today on NOVA Legends, we close out 2025 with two of the most plugged-in local voices in Northern Virginia sports — and then we go big with bold predictions for 2026.Joining me:Ramine DashCo-host of All Hitches, the podcast covering Class 6 football across Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria — and now expanding into Prince William County.Chris JollayFounder of NOVA Hoops, the indispensable basketball hub for schedules, polls, recruiting info, and nonstop coverage across the region.We talk about the changing landscape of high school sports — including the rise of The St. James and other academies — and whether transfers and new VHSL rules are helping competition… or complicating it.Then we roll into our Year-End Awards and finish with 2026 predictions you’ll want to bookmark.In this episode:• Are transfers & academies impacting public-school sports?• Will tougher VHSL transfer rules actually be enforced uniformly?• The moments, upsets, atmospheres, and “unsung heroes” of 2025• Program builders and players who defined the year• Bold predictions for 2026 (teams, coaches, breakout players)If you follow NOVA football or basketball, this one is for you.Find Chris Jollay at novahoops.comFind Ramine Dash at All Hitches Podcast, whereever you get your podcasts.

Today, I’m joined by Ganon Baker — Hampton Roads legend, former college standout, and one of the most respected player-development coaches in the world.If you follow basketball at any level — youth, high school, college, or pro — you’ve felt Ganon Baker’s influence, whether you realized it or not.Ganon’s journey begins in Hampton, Virginia, where growing up in the 757 shaped his toughness, perspective, and competitive edge. From winning a Virginia state championship at Hampton High School, to playing college basketball at Duquesne and UNC Wilmington, Ganon carved out a career defined by grit, adaptability, and relentless learning.But his biggest impact came after his playing days.Ganon became a pioneer in modern player development — working with elite athletes around the globe, including NBA players, WNBA stars, and future pros, and eventually becoming a trusted coach within Nike’s Skill Academies, including time alongside Kobe Bryant.In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss: What made 757 basketball culture so uniquely tough
 Being the underdog — and why adversity became his advantage
 How an early injury led him to become ambidextrous, changing his career
 The evolution (and flaws) of today’s transfer portal and training culture
 Why so many athletes stop improving — and how elite performers avoid it
 What separates real coaches from “Instagram trainers”
 Faith, leadership, and the mindset behind long-term success
 Lessons from working with Kobe, KD, Ray Allen, and other greatsThis episode isn’t just about basketball.
It’s about winning habits, accountability, purpose, and building a life — not just a résumé.