MC in state final Friday

UPDATE -- Madison County's boys basketball team defeated the Castlewood Blue Devils 51-38 March 11 to advance to the Group A, Division 1 state final game March 12 in Richmond's Sigel Center, according to the www.berrysports.com Web site. Madison's Logan Terrell led all scorers with 14 points, followed by fellow Mountaineers Jerel Carter and David Falk with 9 each, Casey Campbell with 8, Matt Garr with 6, Trey Hensley with 3, and Patrick Lucas with 2.

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Celebrating didn’t even cross the Mountaineers’ minds on their way to the locker room after their 72-58 win over Surry County in the Group A, Division 1 quarterfinals Saturday.

They had already moved on and were waiting for their semifinal game to start.

“It’s kind of strange walking to the locker room after the game and they’re still focused,” Madison County coach Ben Breeden said. “Because they’ve been there, done this and they want to get to the final game but we know we’ve got to take it one step of at a time.”

Surry County kept the Mountaineers in the moment during the first quarter, building a 15-11 lead by capitalizing on some early mistakes by Madison at the James Madison University Convocation Center.

“I thought we didn’t take care of the ball in transition,” Breeden said. “We drove it a little too much and didn’t make the extra passes on time.”

Madison didn’t let the long arms of Surry County detour its return trip to Richmond by using the 3-point shot to surge ahead the Cougars.

“I don’t think they have a weakness,” Surry County coach Jake Mintz said. “I was hoping their weakness was going to be shooting 3s, it wasn’t.”

Two of those 3-pointers came from a new source as senior Logan Terrell added the long ball to his arsenal, including one to put the Mountaineers ahead for good at 22-19 with 4:50 left in the second frame.

“I didn’t know I was behind the 3-point line, I was just shooting,” Terrell said. “(The Cougars) are big and long in there so we had to spread it out.”

Terrell finished the night with 18 points and eight rebounds, while senior Jerel Carter led all scorers with 19 points and Casey Campbell added 10.

“I figure it would be hard for a team to match up against us because of the way that we play,” Carter said. “But it’s all thanks to the post (players).”

The Madison big men did their part on the defensive end too, as the Mountaineers racked up seven blocks on the night — two by David Falk and Matt Garr and one each from Terrell, Carter and Patrick Lucas.

“Coach (Breeden) told us to stay on the ground,” Terrell said. “But David, Matt, Jerel those guys are true shot blockers.”

Falk kept the Cougars (20-5) looking over their shoulders in transition while battling an illness, according to Breeden.

“He (Falk) does a great job of protecting the basket,” Mintz said. “Even on the fast break, he’s coming from behind you.”

Madison County (24-0) takes on Castlewood in the state semifinals at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center in Richmond Thursday at 1 p.m. with one thing on their mind.

“Were just trying to get that ring,” Carter said.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the March 11 Eagle for a more detailed game story, semifinal preview and complete photo package.

Madison County 72, Surry County 58

Surry County 15 10 8 25 58
Madison County 11 21 17 23 72
Surry County (58): Raheem Winfield 15, William Lawrence 14, Laquel Bailey 12, Reggie Diggs 7, Jarvis Wyatt 3, Melvin Lyttle 3, James Clary 2, Curtis Warren 2.

Madison County (72): Jerel Carter 19, Logan Terrell 18, Casey Campbell 10, Matt Garr 7, Trey Hensley 6, David Falk 4, A.J. Butler 4, Rashad Bolden 1, Dominic Roebuck 1, Travis Warren 1, Terez Terrell 1.

3-pointers: Surry County 3 (Lawrence 2, Wyatt); Madison County 7 (Carter 2, Hensley 2, L. Terrell 2, Garr).

Records: Surry County 20-6, Madison County 24-0.