Demons out in front in boys b-ball

If the first month of Southeast Conference boys basketball has taught us anything, it's the importance of winning the close ones.

Through seven games of SEC play, only one game has been decided by 12 points or fewer. That one outlier was Mt. Pleasant's 49-29 defeat of Fort Madison, which took place just days after the Bloodhounds were able to start practice.

All six of the other SEC games have been up for grabs, and one just one team has proved it has the ability to consistently pull those games out. First-place Washington sits at 3-0, having won three single digit games.

The Demons have played three single-digit games, and they've won them all. Washington opened its SEC schedule with a 58-50 win at Mt. Pleasant, followed that up by collecting a 67-62 win at Fairfield the very next night, and stormed back from 10 points down to beat Fort Madison, 58-55, at home.

Mt. Pleasant has played the most conference games of anyone in the SEC. The Panthers go into January with a 2-2 conference record.

After opening the SEC season with a dominant win over Fort Madison, the Panthers fell 61-50 Keokuk on the road, and then fell to Washington by eight. The Panthers grasped some momentum at the end of December by beating Burlington 88-80 in a double overtime road game.

The only other .500 team in the league is Keokuk. After beating Mt. Pleasant by 11, the Chiefs dropped a 12-point home game against Fort Madison to fall to 1-1.

The Bloodhounds go into January at 1-2, and both Burlington and Fairfield sit at 0-1.

According to bcmoorerankings.com, the computer ranking site that measures all Iowa high school basketball teams, the SEC is statistically the most even conference in the entire state. Mt. Pleasant has the highest rated team, at 116.92. Washington is at 115.93. Keokuk has a rating of 112.26. Burlington's rating is 108.43. Fort Madison sits at 106.02, and Fairfield is at 104.40.

To put that in perspective, the SEC has a difference of 12.52 points between its first and last rated teams, which is the smallest difference of any conference in Iowa. The Lakes conference in western Iowa is the only other conference with a difference less than 20.

Fairfield's Max Weaton is the SEC's leading scorer heading into January. Weaton has scored 17.5 points per game in the Trojans' two games. Burlington's Michael Alexander scores 17 points per game, for second, and Washington's Kasen Bailey is third, at 16.2 points per game.

Burlington's Brendon Hale is leading the SEC in assists by over two-per game. Hale averages 6.0 helpers per contest.

Fort Madison's Dayton Davis leads the league in rebounds per game, with 10. Washington's lance Sobaski and Trashaun Willis are second and third with 8.8 rebounds per game and 7.0 rebounds per game respectively.

The 2020 SEC boys basketball season will be back in session on Friday, Jan. 8. On that date, Washington will host Fairfield, Keokuk will host Burlington, and Fort Madison will host Mt. Pleasant.

SEC BASKETBALL STANDINGS

Team Conference Overall

1. Washington 3-0 5-1

2. Keokuk 1-1 4-2

2. Mt. Pleasant 2-2 4-4

4. Fort Madison 1-2 3-4

5. Fairfield 0-1 0-2

6. Burlington 0-1 0-2