Mt. Pleasant struggles against Benton

VAN HORNE — The Mt. Pleasant girls basketball team continues to slide with its fifth straight loss, falling to the Benton Bobcats Monday night 67-38.

The Panthers never found an answer for Benton on the defensive side of the ball and struggled to pick up momentum offensively.

Mt. Pleasant was held to single digits and outscored in all but the final quarter of play.

In the first, the Panthers showed promise and only trailed the Bobcats by four, 15-11. By the end of the second quarter Benton had accumulated a 22 point lead, outscoring Mt. Pleasant 24-6. It was the Panthers lowest scoring quarter of the game and a deficit they wouldn’t overcome.

Scoring woes continued into the third as the Panthers scored just eight points, while Benton matched its first quarter score of 15.

Heading into the fourth Benton led 54-25. Both teams matched with 13 points in the final quarter of play.

Mt. Pleasant was haunted with 24 turnovers in the contest.

For Mt. Pleasant, Andrea Lopreato scored 13 points while grabbing five rebounds. Kenna Lamm and Jadan Brumbaugh both finished with nine points. Kate Schimmelpfennig ended with three. Tori Wilson and Elsie Lange both added two.

The Panthers move to 1-6 on the year and 0-2 in Southeast Conference play. In their next game, Mt. Pleasant will take on Washington at home on Friday.

Comments: hunter.moeller@southeastiowaunion.com