By Robert Wilson 

Madison Central boys basketball coach Ben Gardner had possibly his biggest regular season win in his nine-year head coaching career last week and junior guard Jeff Flanagan was a big reason why.

The 6-foot-3 Flanagan had a team-high 20 points with 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals to lead Madison Central to a surprising, 55-44 victory over top-ranked Starkville in a MHSAA Class 7A, Region 2 game and handed Starkville its first loss in Mississippi this season.

For his outstanding performance, Flanagan has been named the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Boys Basketball Player of the Week.

Not only did Flanagan had a big game in the win over Starkville (ranked No. 1 in Mississippi and No. 97 in the country by MaxPreps) last week, he also had a team-high 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in a 57-45 region victory over Clinton.

“Jeff scored eight points in the opening quarter and paced us the entire game against Starkville,” said Gardner, who is in his fifth season as head coach at Madison Central after seven years as an assistant at Madison Central and four years as head girls coach at Copiah Academy. “He scored at all three levels. Every time Starkville made a run, Jeff answered. Either with a big shot, drive, assist, or defensive stop. He had a difficult matchup of the majority of the game, guarding 6-10 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star selection, Jerwin McCarter, who he limited to six points. Jeff also spend a good bit of the time guarding Dandy Dozen selections TJ Warren and Jaden Tate. Warren was the only one to scratch double figures with 10. After falling behind 8-0 in the game’s first minutes, we stormed back behind Jeff’s big first quarter to lead 14-13 after one. It was a lead we never relinquished. In the second quarter, we extended our lead and led 25-19 at half. Starkville adjusted and gave Jeff more attention in the second half. He did a great job finding the open man and fighting for rebounds to continue to contribute. We led 36-33 at the end of that frame. Jeff finished strong in the fourth. He hit a dagger three before scoring on a coast to coast drive. He was fouled, missed the and one, rebounded his miss, scored and was fouled again. This time, he finished the and one free throw. This ended Starkville’s comeback attempt.

“On one day’s rest, we hosted another district rival in the Jungle with Clinton. Jeff paced us once again. We led from the tip to final buzzer. Jeff led us with 10 at half and iced the game away at the free throw line.”

Flanagan – a member of the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Preseason Metro Jackson Elite 11 Team – is averaging 18.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 3.1 assists this season going into this week for Madison Central, which has a 14-12 overall record (winners of six of its last seven games) and a 5-3 region mark and ranked No. 31 in Mississippi by MaxPreps.

“Jeff is a gifted athlete and the kind of kid you love to get to coach,” Gardner said. “He’s the ultimate competitor who always shows up. Jeff raises his game to the level of the moment. He’s a great teammate and leader. Jeff’s basketball abilities set him apart, but his communication, coachability, and competitiveness take him to another level. He’s going to win someone a lot of games on the next level and I look forward to seeing him continue to develop in our program. College coaches should be lining up. I know recruiting high school kids in not popular at the moment for Division I schools, but missing this one would be a mistake. The matchups this week only further proved to all who he is, a player who belongs in the discussion when debating the state’s best.”

It was Flanagan’s second time to earn Player of the Week this season. He had 24 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in a 70-67 loss at Holmes County Central and 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a 73-49 victory over previously undefeated Biloxi at Biloxi in December to earn the honor. 

The 175-pound Flanagan had 73 tackles, 2 interceptions, 8 pass breakups and 1 fumble recovery from his safety position this season in football.

Flanagan has offers from Alcorn State, Samford and Mississippi Gulf Coast for basketball and Jones County Junior College for football.

He averaged 9.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 points, 1.6 steals and helped Madison Central to a 23-12 record and a MHSAA Class 7A state runner-up finish last year as a sophomore. Flanagan scored 17 points in the 7A semifinals in a win over Brandon.

Flanagan is the son of Jeff Flanagan Sr. and Meesha Flanagan. Jeff played multiple sports at Velma Jackson High. He has been a professional touring bassist for more than 20 years and won a Grammy in 2024 as a bassist for Mr. Sipp blues artist. Meesha played basketball at Wingfield High. Flanagan’s brother, Odareion Clark, played football at Forest Hill High and Hillcrest Christian School. Flanagan’s sister, Meah Flanagan, is a cheerleader at Madison Middle School. Flanagan’s uncle, Patrick Hudson, played basketball at Velma Jackson and Coahoma Community College and Flanagan’s aunt, Brittany Flanagan, played basketball at Velma Jackson and Holmes CC. 

Mississippi Scoreboard selects a boys basketball player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by sending a text to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276. 

PREVIOUS WINNERS 

WEEK ONE: Jeff Flanagan, Madison Central 

WEEK TWO: Sam Funches, Germantown

WEEK THREE: Lazabian Banks, Lanier 

WEEK FOUR: Braxton Ward, Callaway 

WEEK FIVE; Austin Richards, Jackson Academy

WEEK SIX: DeShawn Dillon, Northwest Rankin 

WEEK SEVEN: Marcus Goodloe, Jackson Academy