Panther girls knocked out of tourney

KEOKUK - The Mt. Pleasant girls basketball team gave it all they had on Wednesday night, but the Panthers didn't have enough bullets to take down their nemesis, the Keokuk Chiefs.

The only Southeast Conference team Mt. Pleasant didn't beat in the regular season continued to have the Panthers' number, as the Chiefs held home court with a 51-40 regional first round victory.

Keokuk clung on to a 12-11 lead after one quarter and led 26-22 at the half. Mt. Pleasant had five players score in the opening two quarters, with sophomore duo Andrea Lopreato and Tristian Shull leading the team with six points apiece.

A couple of early layups by Emma Huckabone helped the Panthers take a one-point lead midway through the third quarter. Mt. Pleasant held a 28-27 advantage, but Keokuk scored the next seven points and never looked back.

The Chiefs led 34-29 after three quarters. Mt. Pleasant went ice cold in the fourth, and the Chiefs had a hot run of free throws to help pull away.

'They were shooting 45 percent from the free-throw line as a team,” said Mt. Pleasant head coach Curt Watson. 'I didn't know what they shot, but it was probably 70 percent tonight.”

Lopreato finished the game with 17 points to lead Mt. Pleasant. Huckabone scored nine. Shull had six. Karsyn Lamm scored five, and Emma Rugg finished with two.

Coach Watson said he was proud of how his team fought, despite the loss.

'I was proud of my girls,” Watson said. 'They fought till the end and showed a lot of grit.”

It was the last game for three seniors, Karsyn Lamm, Huckabone and Emma Rugg. Watson says he thinks his fourth-year players put the team in good position heading into next year.

'The three seniors are passing the torch to Kenna (Lamm) and Ava (Lowery),” Watson said. 'I feel really good about those two leading us next year, because these seniors left us in good shape.”

Keokuk will play in the regional semifinals at North Scott on Saturday. Mt. Pleasant ended the year at 11-10.