The finish to the 2025-26 boys basketball campaign was very familiar to the Bishop O’Connell Knights.
Like a year ago, the high-school team enjoyed lofty rankings in various polls, compiled the same overall 23-10 record and defeated scads of top teams while playing a very difficult schedule.
Then in the postseason, O’Connell enjoyed significant success by repeating as the runner-up in the Division I private-school state tournament.
“When you take it all into perspective, it was a great season,” O’Connell coach Joe Wootten told ARLnow. “This was a fun group of players, they were unselfish, they worked hard and they all played their roles.”
Despite having only one returning starter — senior point guard Darius Bivins — the Knights won their first seven games of the season, then stood 12-1.
“We played a ton of close games and that was awesome for us,” Wootten said. “Playing a really tough schedule like we did is a challenge.”
The season ended for O’Connell with a 64-52 loss to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference rival St. Paul VI Catholic in the state-tournament final at Benedictine School in Richmond. O’Connell, the tournament’s second seed, led 31-26 at halftime, then the Paul VI shooters got hot in the second half as the No. 1 seed quickly took the lead for good.
Overall, O’Connell was 2-1 in the state tournament. The Knights defeated seventh-seed Catholic High School of Virginia Beach, 61-59, in a seesaw quarterfinal contest at O’Connell, then downed third-seed Highland High of Warrenton, 62-57, in the semifinals at Benedictine.
Highland defeated the Knights in last season’s state final.
Against Catholic, there were seven ties and 13 lead changes. The Knights took the lead for good at 60-59 with 1:31 to play on two free throws by Bivins. Catholic had two more possessions, ending with a shot being blocked by junior guard Corey Dixon, then a turnover.
Against Highland, O’Connell took the lead for good at 7-4 in the first quarter.
O’Connell’s leading scorers in the state tournament were Dixon, Bivins, senior forward Justin Edwards and junior forward Tristan Franklin. Bivins was the team’s lone returning starter.
In the state final, Dixon scored 19 points, Bivins 17 and Edwards 11.
Franklin had 15 points in the state semifinal. Edwards scored 14 with five rebounds, while Bivins scored 12 with three assists and Dixon had 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Bivins and Edwards each scored 15 against Catholic, and Dixon had 13.
Junior forwards Jaron Rucker and Xavier Reid, junior guard Jackson Wootten, sophomore forward Cullen Connor and sophomore guards Hudson Mostahari and Corey Brandon also saw action and contributed for O’Connell in the state tournament.
Prior to the state competition, fourth-seed O’Connell finished 1-1 in the WCAC tournament. The Knights defeated fifth-seed Gonzaga, 93-91, in a four-overtime thriller in the quarterfinals before falling to top seed and eventual champion Paul VI, 57-51, in the semifinals. Bivins scored 38 points against Gonzaga.
For his play throughout the season, Bivins was one of 12 players selected to represent the East squad at the 49th annual McDonald’s All-American boys high-school basketball game. He was also chosen first-team all-WCAC. Bivins scored 1,500 points during his high-school career.
Dixon was chosen second-team all-WCAC, with Edwards and Franklin honorable-mention selections.
Right from the start of the season, O’Connell played a very difficult schedule. The Knights demonstrated the experience and composure to win many close games, including 15 by eight points or fewer. They were 3-0 in overtime games.
O’Connell defeated some tough opponents like IMG Academy, Sidwell Friends, and conference rivals DeMatha, Good Counsel, Bishop Ireton, Bishop McNamara and Gonzaga twice.
In addition, the Knights traveled to play games and tournaments in other states. In that competition, they defeated two top teams from Texas, two from Florida, one each from Illinois and Tennessee and one from Philadelphia.
“We were very connected team, offensively and defensively,” Joe Wootten said.
Wootten finished the season with 580 career victories, all at O’Connell. He began his coaching career in the 1999-2000 season. Wootten’s O’Connell teams have won 20 or more games in a season 17 times, with a high of 31.
With 10 players scheduled to return next season, Wootten said the Knights should have another strong team.
As for the seniors, Bivins is considering several college options. Edwards will play at Division II Gannon University in Erie, Pa.
