Saturday brought some of the state’s top young basketball talent together as the “Coaches 4 The Cure” event raised money for cancer research before a large crowd at the Henrico Sports and Event Center.

There was no mistaking the main event, and it delivered in a big way.

The night’s final showdown pitted local powerhouse John Marshall against one of Tidewater’s top teams, Woodside. It was an opportunity for Woodside’s star player, Silas Barksdale, to showcase his talent in front of his future home fans, and he did just that, scoring 16 points as VCU’s coaching staff watched from the stands.

Barksdale dueled with John Marshall junior standout Latrell Allmond, who finished with 17 points. But it was Allmond who had the ball last, and that proved to be the difference.

With 2.7 seconds remaining, Allmond hit a 3-pointer to break a tie and give the Justices a 50-47 victory in the marquee matchup.

“That was a great atmosphere,” John Marshall coach Ty White said. “That doesn’t happen too often, to get 3,000 people in the gym. They want to see good basketball, and it was a great night.”

The Justices executed the end of each half masterfully, getting a Troy Henderson layup just before the halftime horn, then holding the ball for the final 40 seconds to set up Allmond’s game-winner off a pass.

Woodside’s Donnell Jarrett led all scorers with 21 points. Allmond led John Marshall, with Desmon Rose adding 11 and Aiden Argabright reaching double figures with 10.

But it was Allmond who stole the spotlight, getting open on the perimeter as Woodside’s zone defense focused on protecting the interior.

“It’s amazing to come through for my team,” Allmond said, adding his respect for Barksdale.

“Silas, he’s a beast, man. He’s gonna keep going and be among the best bigs at VCU. I’m looking forward to seeing him play there next year.”

The evening session started with Hopewell holding off Varina late in a spirited game. Hopewell won 63-56, with Deshawn Spellman scoring 24 points. The Blue Devils were led by Caleb Wyche with 13.

The event began with a cancer walk in the morning before a full slate of six basketball games.

One of the featured matchups included a pair of middle school teams, Manchester and Fairfield, offering fans a glimpse of King Bacot, already considered one of the nation’s top recruits in the Class of 2029.

Bacot’s older brother, Armando, was a star at North Carolina. King scored 29 points and helped lead his team to victory.

White said he hoped the event played a small role in the ongoing fight against cancer while producing matchups that keep basketball fans warm through the winter.

The story also appears at The Richmonder.