No. 1-ranked New Madrid entering league play with misleading record, improving star

There is an adage about “Numbers don’t lie,” however, in the case of the New Madrid County Central boy’s basketball squad, yes, factually, the Eagles have lost two of their last three games, but definitely not, is this an indication that New Madrid is struggling in any way.

The Eagles (5-3) will open SEMO Conference play on Tuesday at Kennett (5-6) at 7:15 p.m.

New Madrid has endured three defeats this season, however, the three have not just come against tough opposition, but the losses have each been thisclose.

The Eagles dropped a five-point game against Christian Academy of Louisville in the Marshall County (Kentucky) Hoopfest in early December, before falling 49-47 to Class 5 No. 3-ranked Cape Central, which recently improved to 11-0 by winning the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament.

New Madrid’s most recent defeat came against Class 5 No. 2-ranked Cardinal Ritter, which scored in the final seconds to save a 50-49 win over the Eagles in the Norm Stewart Classic in Columbia.

The bad news for the remainder of the SEMO Conference is that:

1. The Class 3 No. 1-ranked Eagles are going to enter league play with an edge after battling through frustrating defeats, and

2. Eagle standout Jadis Jones is seemingly getting better every time he takes the court.

“I think Jadis is getting more aggressive,” Eagle assistant coach Dontre Jenkins said recently. “You get that with age.”

Jones is a junior now and the 6-foot-5 athlete has been playing with a sense of urgency this season.

He scored a team-high 19 points against the talented Tigers in the SEMO Conference Tournament last month, before dropping 30 on previously Class 3 No. 1-ranked Charleston in the third-place game of that tournament.

“He’s a junior now,” Jenkins continued, “so his body is filling out a little bit more and he’s attacking.”

Jones was not just a presence on the offensive end against Cape Central, but he was often the first player on the floor in pursuit of a loose ball, despite being a so-called “star player.”

“Jadis is able to take the bumps and the pushes in the paint,” Jenkins said. “He is a man among boys.”

Jones played football this fall after not doing so in 2021, and he has taken a physical mentality to the basketball court.

He not only is longer than most of the opposition, but he is stronger and more active, as well.

“Sometimes he is drawing two and three defenders,” Jenkins said of the offensive end, “but he is finishing through them, too.”

Jenkins said the Eagle players continue to strength train throughout the basketball season, though with a sense of logic, so as to not wear the players down physically.

“We still lift,” Jenkins said, “but not as heavy. Seven or eight of our guys played football, so they came right off of the football season. We are lifting to maintain (strength), not really power.”

Without question, Jones, who has scholarship offers from both Southeast Missouri State, as well as Northwestern State (La.), has been nearly impossible to contain in the paint. However, he is working on expanding his offensive skillset to the perimeter and has shown glimpses of that ability this season.

“He’s been working on that,” Jenkins said of Jones’ face-up game. “He’s been working on that, but, for us to have success, we have to have him in the paint.

“We can’t allow him to stand out there and shoot jump shots, whether he is making them or missing them when we know that he can get into the paint and score at will, and maybe even get ‘and ones.’”

Jenkins acknowledges that Jones is a superior talent, however, he said the Eagles have been able to maintain a team-oriented attitude, which isn’t surprising given it is coached by the legendary Hall of Famer, Lennis McFerren.

“With our team,” Jenkins said, “it is more of a focus on the team. They are a team. We are team-oriented. No one man is bigger than the team.

“It takes five guys to win on defense and offense and that is what we are trying to focus on.”

Following the road trip to Kennett, New Madrid will host Notre Dame on Thursday at 7:15 p.m.