SEC girls basketball: Trojans, field tracking down Keokuk

There was plenty to get excited for this year in Southeast Conference girls basketball. The Top-5 scorers were back from last season and a handful of squads showed promise to compete for a conference title.

Now, four SEC games into the 2021-22 campaign, a clear front-runner has emerged.

The Keokuk Chiefs have won four games in four tries to pace the league as it heads into 2022. The Chiefs are not only unbeaten in SEC play, but also hold wins over the next three teams below them in the standings.

Keokuk has had to battle to get to 4-0. After scoring blowout victories against Burlington and Mt. Pleasant, the Chiefs had to squeak out a 50-46 win at home against Fort Madison, and survive a furious comeback attempt by Fairfield on Dec. 20.

That game in Keokuk saw the Fairfield girls rally back from an early 13-0 deficit to cut Keokuk’s lead down to five points in the second half, but the Trojans couldn’t close it out, and picked up their only loss in SEC play so far.

Fairfield sits second in the SEC, at 3-1. The Trojans won their first three SEC games of the year, all on the road.

Fairfield defeated Washington 59-35, foiled Fort Madison 46-38 and then beat up on Burlington 51-18 to set up the first-place matchup against Keokuk.

Mt. Pleasant sits one game below Fairfield and tied with Fort Madison for third place in the league. The Panthers are 2-2 with three of their four conference games getting decided by 29 points or more.

The Panthers’ closest SEC game of the year came against Fort Madison in the conference opener on Dec. 3. An early injury to starting point guard Tristian Shull put the Panthers’ backs against the wall, and Fort Madison point guard Malarie Ross went for 37 points to lead the Bloodhounds to a 55-44 victory.

Mt. Pleasant was suffocated in Keokuk, falling 73-40. They bounced back with two-straight wins before break, beating Washington 61-32 and Burlington 71-22.

Washington is one game back from the Panthers and Bloodhounds, coming into 2022 with a 1-3 conference record. The Demons’ lone win came at home against Burlington, where Washington pushed past the Grayhounds 49-30.

Washington’s three losses have all been by double digits. Along with losses to Fairfield and Mt. Pleasant, the Demons have also dropped a 49-18 matchup against Fort Madison.

The SEC hosts the Top-2 scorers in Class 4A, one of the most star-dominated conferences in the state of Iowa. Fort Madison’s Ross is the leading scorer in the class, with 24.3 points per game, and Keokuk’s Abby Wolter is right behind her, at 23.1 points per game.

Mt. Pleasant’s Andrea Lopreato sits at third in scoring in the conference. She puts up 18.4 points per game.

Lopreato is also tops in the conference in rebounds, blocks and assists. She has pulled down eight rebounds per game, swatted 0.8 shots per game and is way out ahead with 4.4 assists per game, second-most in Class 4A.

Fairfield’s Danielle Breen is fourth in the SEC in scoring, putting up 17.3 points per game. Mallory Lyon is second in rebounds, with 7.9 points per game, and Brynley Allison is second in assists per game, with 2.4.

Washington is one of the most balanced teams in the league, with Kaylin Long’s 6.6 points per game leading the way. Alex Murphy pulls down 7.3 rebounds per game, third most in the SEC.

SEC GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS

TEAM CONFERENCE OVERALL

1. Keokuk 4-0, 5-3

2. Fairfield 3-1, 4-3

T-3. Fort Madison 6-2, 2-2

T-3. Mt. Pleasant 2-2, 3-6

5. Washington 1-3, 1-7

6. Burlington 0-4, 0-7