The Red Devils lost nine players from the 2023 state championship team, including four starters. Coach Dwayne Pinn rebuilt a team around junior returner Troy Henderson and teammates who aspired to prove themselves and win their own state title.
Among those were a couple seniors who were virtual newcomers. Daveon Smith and Lamar Mattocks both moved into starting spots this season and proved critical in the run for the championship trophy.
Troy Henderson
Not surprisingly, Henderson, a 6’0” junior guard, is on every opponent’s watch list.
Already courted by colleges, Henderson is a year-round basketball player, making a name for himself nationwide. He traveled from coast to coast last summer, showcasing his talent in Adidas 3SSB Showcases in South Carolina and California.
Henderson, who has been named the Northern Neck District and Region A player of the year for three years running, followed up last year’s 30-point state final performance with another 30-point effort in this year’s title game.
He’s proven to be both dangerous in the paint and from the cheap seats, scoring 670 points this season to topple Lancaster’s career-scoring record set in 1999. The existing record was 1,452 points. Henderson now has just over 1,800 points.
“Troy had a great season leading his team in scoring and assists,” said Pinn. “And along with that he brought a winning mentality to a team that did not return any of its starters besides him.”
The 18-year-old is already getting nods from multiple Division 1 universities, including James Madison University and University of Virginia.
Lamar Mattocks
Pinn said on most nights Lamar Mattocks is one of the smartest players on the court and it’s obvious in his deliberate, patient play under the goal.
A 6’3” senior center who just moved into the starting lineup this year, Mattocks proved vital around the basket for the Devils as the team’s rebounding leader with an average of 9.7 boards per game. He also scored 326 points this season.
“Lamar is the best rebounder in Class A basketball and one of the best post defenders,” said Pinn. “He’s a double-double machine and so mature. His presence and maturity along with a 3.8 GPA will be greatly missed.”
A first-team all-district and all-region player, Mattocks is hoping to continue playing in college.
“Last year, I’d go up too fast and get blocked a lot, but I learned to be patient and play on two feet,” said Mattocks.
A multi-sport athlete, Mattocks also earned second-team all-district honors in football.
Daveon Smith
A 6’1” senior guard, Daveon Smith moved into a starting position in his second year on the team.
A first-team all-district and all-region selection, Smith was the team’s second leading scorer with 378 points this season. He also averaged eight rebounds per game.
“Daveon is just a warrior as he showed it on the court in the championship game and semifinal,” said Pinn. “He’s the team’s best defender. I love this kid and how he overcomes adversity and takes on everything head on. I’m gonna miss him a lot.”
A four-sport athlete, Smith was a first-team all-district football player on offense and defense and just two weeks ago qualified for the Class 1/2 combined indoor track meet as a jumper. He also competes as a runner and jumper in outdoor track.
