Mt. Pleasant defense suffocates Fort Madison

MT. PLEASANT - Defense was impeccable for the Mt. Pleasant boys basketball team on Friday night. The Panthers shut down Fort Madison in their Southeast Conference opener for a 49-29 home win.

Mt. Pleasant held the Bloodhounds to a mere five points in the first half. The Panthers led 5-3 after one quarter and 21-5 at the break. The Bloodhounds would never get back within single digits.

'That's evident of the mentality we've had the last two games,” said senior Brevin Wilson. 'We couldn't get it in the hole, but we kept playing defense.”

Seven different Panthers scored in the third quarter, as Mt. Pleasant extended the lead to the 36-15 after three quarters.

The Panthers finished off the Bloodhounds with a 13-point fourth quarter. Six of those points came from Dylon Hagans, who led the squad with 13 on the night in his first ever varsity start.

'It all comes with the defense first,” Hagans said. 'If the defense is working together, the offense will come.”

Wilson matched Hagans with 13 points of his own. Jack Johnson finished with eight. Sam Jerrell scored five. Chase Williamson had four. Cooper Pullis scored three. Tyson Sysouchanh scored two points and Mason Mills had one.

The Panthers fell 68-60 on Saturday in a nonconference game at West Burlington. Williamson led the team with 21 points. Johnson, Jerrell and Wilson scored 10 apiece. Owen VanSickle had five, and Hagans finished with four.

The Panthers are now 1-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play. They will play at Ottumwa on Tuesday night.