Madison Academy Falls In Girls Basketball State Title Game

BIRMINGHAM- Two years- four points- that’s what separated the Madison Academy girls basketball team from winning the last two AHSAA Class 5A Basketball State Championships as the Lady Mustangs fell to Charles Henderson in this year’s state title game 50-48 after losing by two points a season ago to Central-Tuscaloosa.

Madison Academy (31-5) committed 21 turnovers while the Trojans scored 25 points off the Mustangs’ miscues in the difference making stat of the game played in the Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham. Charles Henderson had 12 steals, including one in the backcourt with 1:15 remaining, which was converted into the go-ahead basket for the Trojans.

Seniors Destinee McGhee (C, 6-2) led the Mustangs with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Jaden Langford (G, 5-8) had seven points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Junior Halia Morris (F, 5-9) added 13 points.

Charles Henderson (29-0) capped off the perfect season with the largest lead of the game at 10 points coming in the first quarter, but Madison Academy roared back to take a two-point lead at halftime while the second half bounced back and forth between the two finalists with the Mustangs having its last lead at the 6:44 mark of the fourth quarter.

Third-year head coach Alissa Flowers of the Mustangs watched her squad reach the state championship game for the fourth consecutive year winning back-to-back state championships in 2017 and 2018. Flowers was the team’s assistant coach in 2017.

The Class 5A All-State Tournament Team included Destinee Moore, Jaden Langford and Halia Morris of Madison Academy.