Turning the page: SEISC boys hoops

The Southeast Iowa Super Conference is beginning to take shape heading into the new year. The six Union area teams in the North division are jockeying for position at the top of the standings, while a pair of area teams in the South look to turn their fortunes around in 2026.

Hillcrest Academy navigated its first seven games and remains the only unbeaten team in the North. Six of the Ravens’ wins came against conference competition and they picked up an impressive nonconference victory over Class 3A side Fairfield.

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Winfield-Mt Union and WACO’s matchup on Jan. 3 will break a tie for second place. Both teams enter 2026 at 4-1 in conference play.

The Wolves have allowed just 40.7 points per game so far, the best scoring defense in the division. WACO is led by a pair of double digit scorers in Holden Hughes (12.7 ppg) and Hayden Shelman (11.3).

Pekin’s Cole Millikin has been the best scorer in the division, helping the Panthers to a 5-2 start. Millikin is averaging 21.9 points per contest, up from 14.3 last season.

The Panthers needed all 27 points from Millikin in a narrow 66-60 win over Columbus on Dec. 18. The Wildcats are one spot below Pekin in fifth place with a 3-3 conference mark. Ellis Hills-Carrier leads the way at 21 points per game.

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Highland also has a top five scorer in the North in Landon Roling, who has averaged 18.2 points in the Huskies’ first seven games. Highland struggled out of the gate, but picked up its first win of the season with a 45-42 victory over Wapello on Dec. 16.

The two area sides in the SEISC South squared off in a thriller Dec. 5. Van Buren County got the better of New London with a 60-56 win. The Warriors got their second win of the season against Cardinal 10 days later.

New London remains in search of its first victory of the season. The Tigers will get another crack at VBC at home Jan. 13.

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Here are the current SEISC boys basketball standings and leaders heading into the new year.

SEISC North standings

1. Hillcrest Academy 7-0 (6-0)

2. Winfield-Mt Union 4-2 (4-1)

2. WACO 4-2 (4-1)

4. Pekin 5-2 (4-2)

5. Columbus 4-3 (3-3)

6. Wapello 2-5 (2-4)

7. Highland 1-6 (1-4)

8. Lone Tree 2-6 (1-5)

9. Louisa-Muscatine 1-6 (0-5)

SEISC North scoring leaders

1. Cole Millikin (SR), Pekin - 21.9 ppg

2. Oscar Cline (JR), Louisa-Muscatine - 21.7 ppg

3. Ellis Hills-Carrier (JR), Columbus - 21.0 ppg

4. Landon Roling (JR), Highland - 18.2 ppg

5. Kale Bailey (JR), Hillcrest - 17.1 ppg

SEISC North rebound leaders

1. Oscar Cline (JR), Louisa-Muscatine - 13.7 rpg

2. Alijah Brock (JR), Pekin - 10.4 rpg

3. Max Edwards (SR), Winfield-Mt. Union - 9.2 rpg

4. Reece Holbrook (SR), Lone Tree - 8.9 rpg

5. Holden Hughes (JR), WACO - 8.3 rpg

SEISC North assist leaders

1. Henry Adam (JR), Pekin - 6.9 apg

2. Rowan Miller (SR), Hillcrest - 5.9 apg

3. Justyn Faulkner (SR), Wapello - 4.7 apg

4. Hayden Shelman (JR), WACO - 4.0 apg

5. Isaac Egli (JR), Winfield-Mt. Union - 3.4 apg

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SEISC South standings

1. Burlington Notre Dame 8-0 (5-0)

2. Central Lee 5-1 (4-1)

2. Mediapolis 5-2 (4-1)

4. West Burlington 4-3 (3-3)

5. Holy Trinity Catholic 3-3 (2-3)

5. Danville 4-3 (2-3)

7. Van Buren County 2-6 (1-5)

8. New London 0-6 (0-5)

SEISC South scoring leaders

1. Shay Stephens (SR), Burlington Notre Dame - 27.1 ppg

2. Will Luttenegger (SR), Mediapolis - 19.7 ppg

3. Layne Rung (SR), Holy Trinity Catholic - 18.3 ppg

4. Max Griffin (SR), Mediapolis - 18.0 ppg

5. Ayden Figuereo (SR), West Burlington - 16.7 ppg

SEISC South rebound leaders

1. Silas Lotzow (SO), West Burlington - 10.4 rpg

2. Ayden Figuereo (SR), West Burlington - 10.0 rpg

3. Kye Reighard (SR), New London - 9.0 rpg

4. Jack Ragar (FR), Holy Trinity Catholic - 7.8 rpg

4. Will Hayes (SR), Central Lee - 7.8 rpg

SEISC South assist leaders

1. Shay Stephens (SR), Burlington Notre Dame - 6.2 apg

2. Leighton Rice (SR), Danville - 6.0 apg

3. Will Luttenegger (SR), Mediapolis - 5.9 apg

4. Cayson Brown (SO), West Burlington - 4.4 apg

5. Jack Ragar (FR), Holy Trinity Catholic - 4.0 apg