Perfect exit: Monroe City seniors win final home game for program’s sixth straight district crown

MONROE CITY, Mo. — The last act deserved a standing ovation.

The Monroe City faithful obliged.

The final time a senior class that has set itself apart as one of the most successful in program history played at home resulted in an incredible accomplishment as the top-seeded Monroe City boys basketball team won its sixth straight district title with a 69-40 victory over third-seeded Highland in Saturday’s Class 3 District 6 title game.

“Before the game, I didn’t know how I’d feel,” senior guard Joshua Talton said. “After we won, I was really, really happy. At the same time, I was like, ‘Dang, this is the last home game I’ll ever play with my team.’ It kind of hit deep. It’s something special to go out with my guys.”

The Panthers (22-4) plan for there to be more to come.

Monroe City, ranked second in the final Class 3 state poll, will face District 5 champion Duchesne (13-16) at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday in the sectionals at Francis Howell Central High School in St. Charles.

“We have to pay attention to the tiny details,” Talton said of the preparation to face Duchesne. “We’re going to hit the film room hard and pay attention to the little things. What does the other team do on offense? Who is their best player? Who are their best shooters? It’s paying attention to the small details and getting after it when we get back to the gym.”

The work, at least for the coaches, begins Sunday.

“We’ve got some film we need to watch,” Monroe City coach Brock Edris said. “Then we’ll have two days to really look at what we might benefit from matchup-wise. I think our guys, especially having a senior group and a group with a high basketball IQ, when you give them a game plan they get pretty locked into it.”

The game plan worked Saturday night.

The Panthers wanted to limit the touches and clean looks the Cougars’ Alex Meyer and Drew Mallett — both 1,000-point scorers in their careers — were able to get. Meyer was held scoreless in the first half and Mallett finished with just six points.

Meyer led the Cougars with 12 points, but the duo ended up scoring roughly 14 points below their combined season average.

“I felt the guys were locked in to the game plan,” Edris said. “They were locked in defensively to what we needed to do.”

It spilled over to be locked in offensively, too.

The Panthers opened the game on a 7-2 run and led 16-4 by the midpoint of the first quarter, hitting four 3-pointers in the opening stretch. They went 8 of 12 from 3-point range in the first half with five different players knocking down treys.

Monroe City made 11 3-pointers overall.

“It was a barrage of shots from all over the place,” Edris said.

The energy of playing for a title in front of the home fans raised the Panthers’ level of execution.

“It’s a different sense when you’re in the gym of the excitement and whatnot,” Edris said. “I think our guys are always excited to play in big games and for a district championship. They have confidence in each other. We did a good job of pushing the ball down the floor and maybe catching Highland in some rotations or trying to figure out matchups.

“Guys were open, they hit the open man and they knocked down shots.”

Talton said the key was unselfishness.

“We’re just sharing the ball out there,” Talton said. “Giving the open person the ball is critical, and they are making shots.”

The Panthers led 38-16 at halftime and never relented. Talton finished with 19 points, while Jaedyn Robertson had 15 as 11 different Panthers scored.

It enabled the senior class to finish their careers without losing to a Clarence Cannon Conference opponent in regular-season play, tournament play or district play. 

“It’s amazing,” Talton said. “I’d just like to thank our coach for putting us in the right spots and my teammates as we’ve playing together forever. It’s amazing to do it four years in a row.”

It’s the standard now.

“To get the opportunity to win one is great,” Edris said. “To keep that legacy going that the guys set before them and to try to pass it on to the next group coming through, these guys have lived up to the standards and expectations guys have laid before them.”