College Prep at Madison wins Mo. state title

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Martavian Payne scored 15 points to lead five players in double figures for College Preparatory at Madison, which beat St. Pius X (Kansas City) 67-52 Saturday in the Class 3 Boys Championship.

The Bears (31-2) also led 22-17 at the half despite shooting 7-for-21 from the field, including misses on all seven 3-point attempts. But they scored the first five points of the second half, and the Warriors (22-7) couldn't get closer than six the rest of the way.

Nicholas Morgan led St. Pius X (22-7) with 15 points.

Bears coach Tony Irons and four starters led St. Louis' Imagine College Prep to a fourth-place finish a year ago in Class 4, but were forced to relocate after state education officials closed the school.