Madison Prep overcomes slow start to top Iowa, 63-44
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Madison Prep overcame a slow start and a patient and efficient Iowa on Saturday to win its seventh straight on the strength of a dominant second half. Josh Smith Josh Smith 6'3" | PG Madison Prep | 2024 State LA…
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Continue ReadingMadison Prep overcame a slow start and a patient and efficient Iowa on Saturday to win its seventh straight on the strength of a dominant second half.
Josh Smith Josh Smith 6'3" | PG Madison Prep | 2024 State LA helped spark the Chargers in the second quarter to pull ahead, and fellow junior guard Jayce Depron Jayce Depron 7'5" | CG Madison Prep | 2024 State LA led the pull-away to a 63-44 victory.
Josh Smith Josh Smith 6'3" | PG Madison Prep | 2024 State LA (6’2″ | 2024)
The athletic combo guard spoke Thursday about his coaches’ emphasis on playing aggressive, and his attacking on both sides of the ball were among the early sparks to take control Saturday. He scored seven points in the second quarter, including a game-tying transition basket and a 3-pointer to stretch their lead-claiming run to 11-2, and finished with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals for the game.
Jayce Depron Jayce Depron 7'5" | CG Madison Prep | 2024 State LA (6’5″ | 2024)
Smith’s 2024 running mate took the baton and ran with a pair of third-quarter 3-pointers and another in the fourth, balanced with some driving floaters and transition baskets to finish with a game-high 20 points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot.
D.J. Edmonds (2024)
Madison Prep went early into a deeper rotation than usual, and the junior’s effort was among the bright spots. Edmonds grabbed five of his team-high seven rebounds in the first half, poked away an Iowa defensive board for another quick Chargers’ opportunity and didn’t shy away from physical play in the lane on either end of the court with a couple contested shots on defense and five points on offense.
Jamari Thigpen (6’5″ | 2024)
The junior forward praised teammate Quentin Dabney Quentin Dabney 6'5" | SF Madison Prep | 2024 State LA on Thursday as the best shooter of the front-court rotation of themselves and sophomore Chris Lindo Chris Lindo 6'6" | PF Madison Prep | 2025 State LA , but Thigpen added a third-quarter 3-pointer to Depron’s pair to help in the Chargers’ run. Thigpen finished with seven points, three rebounds, a pair of blocked shots and an assist.
Desa’monte Gradney Desa’monte Gradney 6'2" | CG Iowa | 2024 State LA (6’3″ | 2024)
The Yellow Jackets did an efficient and patient job, particularly early, of moving the ball, limiting turnovers, picking their spots and attacking confidently at the right times. Gradney, the taller and longer of the team’s leading scorer duo, led the way with 17 points, including an impressive up-and-under basket driving to his left. Gradney also added two rebounds and an assist.
Dashawn Ceaser Dashawn Ceaser 6'3" | CG Iowa | 2024 State LA (6’2″ | 2024)
Gradney’s partner in leading the Iowa scoring punch finished with 12 points, including a high-arcing pull-up in the lane over the towering Lindo’s reach, and outworked his height inside for five rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.
Luke Guillory (6’3″ | 2024)
The big-bodied multisport athlete, a tight end and long snapper on the football team, stepped up to intercept a long first-quarter pass to help the Yellow Jackets’ early run taking advantage of the Charger’s miscues. Guillory managed to position himself well and take advantage of his physicality to finished with three steals, seven rebounds and seven points.