Brandeis boys basketball beats Madison, still alive in district race

Braylon Taylor scored a game-high 29 points to help the Broncos stay within a game of 27-6A leader Reagan.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Junior point guard Braylon Taylor exploded for 29 points to lead Brandeis to a 55-47 win over Madison on Wednesday night. The win keeps Brandeis (23-8, 10-2) in the hunt for the District 27-6A championship, trailing Reagan by one game with two remaining. Madison (17-15, 6-6) is locked in a battle for the final playoff spot with Clark as the Mavericks and Cougars are tied in fourth.

Why it matters

This game was crucial for both teams as they jockey for position in the district standings. Brandeis is looking to catch Reagan for the district title, while Madison is fighting for a playoff spot.

The details

Brandeis chipped away at an early 11-5 Madison lead and took a 22-21 lead into halftime. The teams traded the lead several times to begin the third quarter before Taylor took over, scoring from all levels of the court. Brandeis was able to pull away in the fourth quarter, with senior guard Connor Garcia also providing an offensive spark.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
  • Brandeis plays Roosevelt at 11 a.m. Saturday at Paul Taylor Field House.
  • Madison continues its playoff push at home against LEE at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The players

Braylon Taylor

A junior point guard for Brandeis who scored a game-high 29 points to lead his team to victory.

Darien Howard

A junior guard for Madison who finished with 12 points.

Branden Pryor

A sophomore forward for Madison who added 10 points.

Marc Gardner

The head coach of the Brandeis boys basketball team.

Cole Martinez

The head coach of the Madison boys basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“We're really good when we share the basketball. We have a lot of guys contributing, a lot of guys scoring, a lot of guys touching the ball. It's hard to kind of key in on one of our guys. So, every night is kind of a different guy for us. It's kind of how it's been all year.”

— Cole Martinez, Madison head coach (expressnews.com)

“Braylon had a big game for us. He got hot from 3, and I give his teammates a lot of credit because they kept looking for him and finding him and making that extra pass to get him an open look. (Every) night it could be a different guy, and tonight it had to be Braylon. I'm proud of him for stepping up and hitting some shots.”

— Marc Gardner, Brandeis head coach (expressnews.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game was a crucial matchup in the District 27-6A race, with Brandeis keeping its hopes of catching district leader Reagan alive and Madison fighting to secure a playoff spot. The performance of Braylon Taylor was the difference-maker for Brandeis, as he took over the game in the second half to lead his team to victory.