Muddy River Showcase: Monroe City’s Edris to be at helm of Missouri all-stars

The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Ticket information will be released soon.

MONROE CITY, Mo. — Brock Edris is coming home … at least for one night.

The Monroe City boys basketball coach will man the helm of the Missouri all-stars in the inaugural Muddy River Showcase, which means he will coach in the same gym where he once played college basketball.

The Showcase, which will feature boys and girls games with an Illinois vs. Missouri format, will take place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.

Edris, who is a Carthage, Ill., native, was a two-year starter for the JWCC men’s basketball program. A 6-foot-3 guard who primarily played the wing, Edris averaged six points and four rebounds per game as a sophomore during the 2007-08 season.

“Playing at John Wood and this being the first year of the event and being surrounded by so much talent in the Tri-States, this is going to make a memory for a lot of people,” Edris said. “This is something special for the kids and something they will remember.”

It also will be the last time Edris will coach four of his former players. Joshua Talton, Josiah Talton, Jaedyn Robertson and Kyle Hays will be part of the 10-player Missouri team.

Complete rosters for all four teams will be released later this week.

“There are so many people from this area who have played in a game like this on both sides that know it’s definitely fun to be a part of,” Edris said. “For all the kids from Missouri and Illinois who don’t get to see each other play and might read about each other or see highlights online, this opportunity to get to play against each other is pretty neat.”

Any chance to coach is welcome, too.

A multi-sport athlete at Carthage who played basketball at Central Methodist University following his JWCC career, Edris has been at Monroe City since 2010 and the head boys basketball coach since 2011.

The Panthers finished 0-22 the year before he took over and 4-20 in his first season. By his third season, Monroe City had a winning record. By his sixth season, the Panthers won the first district championship in 17 years, and they’ve won six consecutive district championships overall.

Monroe City has won 22 or more games each of the past six seasons, while finishing second at the Class 3 state tournament in 2021 after taking third in 2020. The Panthers have dominated the Clarence Cannon Conference as well with this senior class going 28-0 in CCC play in their high school careers.

Overall, Edris has a 208-98 career record.

“It’s definitely a passion,” Edris said of coaching. “I had some coaches I really looked up to growing up. I knew it was something I would like to do. Anytime you can turn a passion into a profession, it never seems like a job. It seems like you’re going to do something fun.

“I’m blessed to be at Monroe City and get to do that every day.”