Panther boys push Keokuk

MT. PLEASANT — The Keokuk boys’ basketball team may have clinched the Southeast Conference on Friday night, but they didn’t do so without a fight.

The Mt. Pleasant boys not only kept pace with the Chiefs, but led the game after three quarters. Keokuk, however, had enough strength to avoid the upset, win 58-48, and stay unbeaten in league play.

Unlike the first time the two teams met up, Mt. Pleasant and Keokuk went blow for blow throughout the first three quarters. It was tied 13-13 after one quarter, Mt. Pleasant led 23-22 at halftime, and the Panthers held a 38-37 advantage going into the fourth.

Keokuk finally got things rolling in the final quarter, putting up a game-high 21 points to power past the Panthers.

Ryan Helling led the Mt. Pleasant boys with 14 points in the loss.

The Panther girls trailed 21-10 after one quarter and 34-19 at halftime, but cut that 15-point disadvantage down by one point before the third. Going into the final eight minutes, Keokuk led 45-31.

Much like in the boys’ game, the Chiefs finished strong on the girls’ side and pulled away with a 62-44 victory.

Kynlee White led Mt. Pleasant in the girls’ game, putting up 11 points.

The Panther boys fell to 8-9 overall and 4-5 in conference play with the loss. Keokuk, now 9-0 in the conference, has won the league outright.

On the girls’ side, the Panthers fell to 3-15 overall and 0-9 in conference play. Keokuk is now 8-1, which gives the Chiefs the conference outright, while Ft. Madison, Washington and Burlington are all two games back, at 6-3.