Panther girls pummel Burlington

MT. PLEASANT - The Mt. Pleasant girls basketball team will head into the break playing some of their best basketball of the season. Four nights after a dominant win at Washington, the Panthers blasted Burlington 55-15 on Tuesday to earn their third Southeast Conference win of December.

The Panthers pressured a rusty Greyhound squad early and often, taking advantage of Burlington playing its first game of the year. Mt. Pleasant dominated the firstquarter, 16-2, led by eight early points from Andrea Lopreato. Tristian Shull scored five in the second and the Panthers held a 29-7 halftime advantage.

Burlington could never solve the Panther defense, which caused an avalanche of Greyhound turnovers and never gave up more than five points in a quarter.

Mt. Pleasant head coach Curt Watson credited the Panthers' depth on the defensive end. Mt. Pleasant has a healthy starting five again after the return of Karsyn Lamm, who was playing her second game back.

'Getting Karsyn back the last couple of games made a difference,” said Watson. 'We can do that a little more, and it has made a big difference for the team.”

The Panthers won their final two SEC games of December by a combined 59 points after splitting thrillers against Fort Madison and Keokuk to start conference play.

'It's so nice,” said Emma Huckabone, one of three seniors in the rotation. 'I like playing when it's more comfortable, and we have these bigger leads.”

Andrea Lopreato led the Panthers with 18 points, outscoring the Grayhounds individually. She has now hit double-digits in seven-straight games, a big reason Mt. Pleasant finds its self at 3-1 in the SEC.

'I think we can go really far,” Lopreato said. 'Our potential is high.”

Kenna Lamm added 10 points. Tristian Shull had eight. Huckabone scored six. Karsyn Lamm had five. Emma Rugg finished with four, and both Ava Lowery and Jacara Ivey had two.

The Panthers are 4-4 overall to go along with a 3-1 SEC record. Mt. Pleasant hosts New London on January 4.