MP boys enter 2019 in third

January is here, and that means the meat of high school basketball season has arrived. That means the five Southeast Conference boys' basketball teams are just a couple of days away from continuing their battle for conference supremacy.

The first month of SEC basketball was a rollercoaster, at least for the four teams who are currently separated by one game in second-to-fifth. Fairfield, who leads the SEC with a 3-0 record, has had a relatively quiet road to the top.

The Trojans opened the conference slate up at home against defending champion Mt. Pleasant. A 17-2 third quarter, and 22 points from Austin Simpson helped Fairfield pull away with the win. Sam Beatty scored 13 points for Mt. Pleasant in the loss.

The Trojans trailed Washington 14-3 early in their second SEC game, but stormed back to win the game 55-37. Carson Crile had 21 points and 11 rebounds in that win.

There have been three different leading scorers in their three conference wins thus far. Tristin Waugh scored 17 points in a 72-40 win against Keokuk. The Trojans have yet to play in an SEC road game, starting the conference slate with three home games.

Ft. Madison enters the new year 2-1 and in second place in the conference, but they could very well be 0-3. The Bloodhounds' two SEC wins came by a combined three points.

The Hounds went to overtime with Keokuk in the conference opener. Ft. Madison took the win 61-59 in the extra period, led by 19 points from Jayden Fedler. He also led the team in a 73-60 loss to Washingotn in their second conference game.

Ft. Madison scored the most thrilling win of the year so far at Mt. Pleasant. Fedler scored 14 to lead the team to a 56-55 win, but it was Logan Rashid's game-winning four-point play at the buzzer that stunned the Panther crowd and sent the Bloodhounds into the break with a world of momentum.

The Panthers currently sit at 3-5 overall on the year. Beatty has led the team in two of their three conference games, scoring 23 against Ft. Madison. Keegan Kohorst had 14 points to lead the way for Mt. Pleasant in their lone SEC win, a 56-48 defeat of Keokuk.

The Panthers are tied 1-2 with two other SEC teams, Washington and Keokuk. The Demons defeated Ft. Madison 73-60 behind 22 points from Trashaun Willis, and Keokuk got 32 points from Anthony Potratz in a 69-63 win against Washington.

Fedler of Ft. Madison is the leading scorer in the conference, scoring 16.3 points per game. Beatty comes in second for Mt. Pleasant, with 15.8 points per game, and Potratz of Keokuk is third with 14 points per game. In conference games only, however, Potratz leads with 21 points-per-game. Fedler has 17 points-per-game, and Beatty is third with 16 points-per-game.

Each of the five teams score at a similar clip. Fairfield leads the conference with 53 points-per-game. Ft. Madison scores 51.9 points per game. Mt. Pleasant and Keokuk both score 48 points-per-game, and Washington brings up the rear with 47.1 points-per-game.

In conference games only, the conference is a little more spread out. Fairfield is scoring 61 points-per-game in SEC games. Ft. Madison scores 59. Washington scores 57.7. Mt. Pleasant scores 48.3, and Keokuk scores 44.

League play will start up again on Friday, Jan. 4. Mt. Pleasant will travel to Washington in a battle of third place teams. Ft. Madison will host Fairfield in an attempt to jump into a tie for first place in the conference.

Mt. Pleasant will play Central Lee in a non-conference game on Saturday, Jan. 5, and then jump back into SEC play the next weekend when they host Fairfield on Friday, Jan. 11.

SEC BOYS' BASKETBALL STANDINGS

1. Fairfield 3-0

2. Ft. Madison 2-1

T-3. Mt. Pleasant 1-2

T-3. Keokuk 1-2

T-3. Washington 1-2