All-Tidewater Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Woodside’s Silas Barksdale ‘elevated his play in the playoffs’

NEWPORT NEWS —The true measure of a star athlete is what they do in the big games, and Woodside junior Silas Barksdale showed up.

The 6-foot-11 center was at times unstoppable and undefendable as he averaged 17 points and 15 rebounds during the postseason, including a 17-point, 14-rebound performance to help the Wolverines beat L.C. Bird to win their second consecutive Class 5 boys basketball state championship.

Barksdale is the 2024 All-Tidewater Boys Basketball Player of the Year and is the second consecutive Woodside player to win the award, following Trevor Smith. Barksdale and Smith are the only Peninsula-area players to win the award since The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press began selecting teams together in 2020.

“I believe he’s the All-Tidewater Player of the Year because of his consistency,” said Wolverines coach Stefan Welsh, who became the first in Hampton Roads to win back-to-back state titles as a player and coach. “His regular-season stats were from three quarters of action because 90% of the games were blowouts. He saw double- and triple-teams on a nightly basis. He elevated his play in the playoffs.”

His teammates agree: a state title would have been unlikely without Barksdale.

“He means a lot,” said senior Jermaine Detrick. “When he’s as efficient as he is, all the teams tend to focus on him. They’ll try everything. He’s very important. He’s got great size and great skill and he opens up everything for everybody else. It’s good to get to him early.”

Added Woodside’s Jakobe Reed: “Oh my God, he means everything. That’s my dawg. I love Barksdale. He works hard every day. He’s the first person in and the last person out of practice. So he means everything.”

Barksdale, who recorded 25 double-doubles, was named the Class 5 Player of the Year, the Class 5 Region B Player of the Year and the Peninsula District Player of the Year.

“He’s the best player on the best team all year, and he dominated in the playoffs,” said one opposing coach.

Another said, “He was a key piece to the success of a Woodside team that lost only once all season.”

Barksdale, a four-star prospect, is rated the No. 5 junior in the state by 247Sports and No. 7 by On3. He has more than 10 college scholarship offers, including those from Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Pittsburgh.

As dominating as he was this season, it makes you wonder what he’ll do for an encore next season.

Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com

Boys basketball All-Tidewater Players of the Year

Woodside center Silas Barksdale (21) attempts a shot over L.C. Bird defender Rahjeem Moore (12) during the Wolverines’ 53-33 victory for the VHSL Class 5 state championship at the Siegel Center in Richmond on March 9. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)2023 – Trevor Smith, Woodside

2022 – George Beale, King’s Fork

2021 – No POY named because of abbreviated season

2020 – Jayden Epps, King’s Fork

2019 – Michael Christmas, Landstown

2018 – Dereon Seabron, Lake Taylor

2017 – Kevin Davis, Norcom

2016 – Travis Fields, Norcom

2015 – Chris Clarke, Cape Henry

2014 – Troy Locke, Norcom

2013 – Marcus Evans, Great Bridge

2012 – Rashaun Madison, Norview

2011 – Dorian Finney-Smith, Norcom, and James Michael McAdoo, Norfolk Christian

2010 – Dorian Finney-Smith, Norcom

2009 – JaQuon Parker, King’s Fork

2008 – Corey Law, Deep Creek

2007 – Myles Holley, Booker T. Washington

2006 – Kelly Beidler, Tallwood

2005 – Vernon Macklin, Norcom

2004 – Marquie Cooke, Nansemond River

2003 – Marquie Cooke, Nansemond River

2002 – John Gilchrist, Salem

2001 – John Gilchrist, Salem

2000 – Hassan Robinson, Granby

1999 – David Johnson, Maury

1998 – Carlton Aaron, Atlantic Shores

1997 – David Selby, Indian River

1996 – Jason Capel, Indian River

1995 – Shawn Hobson, Granby

1994 – D.J. Dunbar, Churchland

1993 – Joe Smith, Maury

1992 – Michael Evans, Booker T. Washington

1991 – Petey Sessoms, Cradock

1990 – Darrell Paul, Deep Creek

1989 – Curley Young, Deep Creek

1988 – Alonzo Mourning, Indian River

1987 – Alonzo Mourning, Indian River

1986 – J.R. Reid, Kempsville

1985 – J.R. Reid, Kempsville

1984 – J.R. Reid, Kempsville

1983 – Mark Whitaker, Manor

1982 – Wes Stallings, Deep Creek

1981 –  Rolando Lamb, Cradock

1980 – Billy Walker, Booker T. Washington