The Bears of Madison Prep are going to the Final Four of the Class 3 state tournament for the third consecutive year; and it has been a dramatic ride every step of the way.
In getting back to the Final Four, the Bears have had to overcome a double-digit deficit twice, defeat the defending state champions on their home court and survive another overtime thriller.
Madison Prep (19-10) will face Kansas City Barstow (27-2) in the state semifinals on Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia. The winner of that game will face the New Madrid-Strafford winner for the state championship on Saturday at 6:20 p.m. The Bears won the state title in 2013 and finished fourth in 2014, losing to Barstow in the state semifinals. Thursday’s semifinal game will be a rematch.
The Bears have been tested throughout the postseason. In their district semifinal game against Northwest Academy, the Bears trailed by 10 points before rallying to win 58-48. In the district championship game, Madison Prep defeated defending state-champion Cardinal Ritter 71-70 on Ritter’s home court.
In the sectionals, the Bears were extended into overtime before edging Duchesne, 56-54, in another thriller. In what was their most impressive Houdini act of the postseason, the Bears knocked off Tolton Catholic, 76-74, in the state quarterfinals in Warrenton. Madison Prep trailed by 13 points in the fourth quarter before mounting a furious rally to stun Tolton, which was led by nationally-ranked sophomore Michael Porter.
The Bears’ leader throughout the season has been 5’11” sophomore guard Daniel “Peanut” Farris, who has come up with one big play after another during the postseason. Farris is averaging a team-high 17 points a game, but he is averaging close to 20 points during the state playoffs.
Madison Prep boasts plenty up size up front in 6’8” sophomore Levi Stockard and 6’7” junior Damion Taylor. Stockard is averaging 9.4 points and 6.7 rebounds while Taylor is averaging 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds. Jermaine Walker, a 6’4” junior forward, averages 9.2 points and 4.3 rebounds.
Farris is joined in the backcourt by fellow sophomores Darren Huntley and Casey Jackson, who are both averaging five points a game. Huntley scored 13 points and hit some key 3-pointers in the quarterfinals against Tolton.
Madison Prep coach Tony Irons will be trying to celebrate another state title on the 30th anniversary of his father, Floyd Irons, winning a championship at Vashon. In 2013, Irons led Madison Prep to its first state title 30 years after his father won his first state title at Vashon. Now, the younger Irons will be trying to win his second championship thirty years after his father won his second state title against Soldan in that epic all Public High League final in 1985.
