KILJ — The Mount Pleasant boys’ basketball team will start their tournament trail run tonight when they take on Mount Vernon in a Class 3A-Substate 5 first round matchup.
The winner will play the victor of Marion-Keokuk on Thursday night.
Mount Pleasant are reeling heading into the postseason, losers of four straight.
They haven’t won since their February 1st overtime triumph over Iowa City Regina.
Still, they likely have the best player on the floor this evening in senior forward Dewon Trent.
Trent finished his senior regular season averaging a team-high 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Tonight’s scrap is a rematch of last year’s second round matchup, where Mount Vernon edged the Panthers 59-55.
Gone however from the Mustangs lineup is Keaton Kutcher, who plays now for South Dakota.
Mount Vernon has relied on a scoring by committee approach, with just one player in double figures in sophomore Joe Rhomberg, who scores 10.8 points per game.
The Mustangs enter the postseason a deceptive 10-11, as they’ve played one of the toughest schedules in 3A and have already beaten the top-seeded Wolves of Marion once this year.
Tonight’s game will begin at 7:00 p.m. and can be heard on FM 105.5 and kilj.com.
Nathan Bloechl and Kent Bennett will have the call.