MS HR82

Madison-Ridgeland Academy Patriots Boys Basketball Team won the 2026 MAIS Class 4A Division I State Championship with a 65-53 victory over Jackson Academy at Mississippi College's A.E. Wood Coliseum

The team finished the season with a 37-2 record, the best in program history, including a 19-game winning streak entering the championship

Sophomore center EJ Dampier led the championship game with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 blocked shots

Head Coach Richard Duease concluded his 51-year coaching career (44 years at MRA) with 1,888 career victories, 42 state championships, and 16 MAIS Overall Tournament titles, making him the winningest high school basketball coach in Mississippi history

The Mississippi House of Representatives formally commends the team and directs copies of the resolution be sent to the school administration and Coach Duease