3a Boys State Champions - Dallas Madison Trojans

[pirate4state]

CONGRATULATIONS DALLAS MADISON TROJANS, 2009 3A STATE CHAMPIONS!

Winner of District 11 and ranked #1 most of the year, Dallas Madison outlasts Lubbock Estacado (W1) in a 68-66 OT thriller.

:clap: :clap:

[3afan]

Madison wins 3A title in OT, 68-66

05:23 PM CDT on Saturday, March 14, 2009

By DAMON L. SAYLES / The Dallas Morning News
dsayles@dallasnews.com

AUSTIN – Madison's Dominique Smith stepped to the free throw line for the first time with 6.3 seconds remaining in overtime Saturday, nervous but more than willing to accept the challenge of making two shots.

Smith knocked down both to give Madison a four-point lead, and moments later he and his teammates were celebrating a 68-66 victory over Lubbock Estacado in the UIL Class 3A state championship at the Frank Erwin Center. It's Madison's first state title since 1997.

Smith rattled home the first of his two free throws, then swished the second. He finished with 19 points and was named the game's MVP.

"It [the goal] looked real small, like I was on the other side of the court," Smith said. "But I had to step up for our team and knock down big free throws."

Madison closed with a 33-4 record. It beat several state-ranked teams – in all classifications – but no win was larger than Saturday's. The game pitted Madison, the state's top-ranked team, against No. 2 Estacado.

"This game was all I thought it was going to be," Madison coach Damien Mobley said. "We've been playing for respect this entire season.

"I'm very proud of Dominique Smith. He's been the team MVP all year without recognition."

Regulation ended with the teams knotted at 53, and Smith's only points of overtime came in the final seconds. Nick Moore scored five of the team's 15 points in the extra period. Cousins Timothy (17 points) and Desmond Flentroy (15) added four overtime points each.

Smith and Moore carried Madison. Smith added five rebounds and four assists. Moore was strong inside, grabbing 17 rebounds to go with seven points.

"They've got a great team over there. We knew it was going to be a battle," Estacado coach Anthony Wagner said. "We just had some balls not bounce our way. It came down to who had the ball the last possession, and what they were going to do with it."

Smith added: "Coach Mobley always said that a No. 1 team has never won a state championship. We just overcame what we thought we couldn't overcome."

Estacado, seeking the Lubbock ISD's first boys state title in 48 years, finished 34-3. Clarence Willard led Estacado with 17 points, and Jamar Johnson and Kevin Wagner added 16 each.

[Johnny Utah]

Wagner kid from Estacado had a chance to win it from the ft line in regulation. Sophomore and plays like a college kid! GREAT GAME!!! Madison is very good obviously.