The Washington Demon girls basketball team took a step back in the conference race last night, losing to Keokuk at home 47-45.

The goal of the game was for Washington not to get behind early, but the Demons were cold from the field and Keokuk hit everything they threw up to jump out to a 14-9 lead after one, and in the second quarter it got worse for Washington. The Demons didn’t score their first points in the second quarter until 5:06 in the third. Washington also got into foul trouble, which sent the Chiefs to the line in the second quarter and got them out to a nine point lead at half, 28-19.

In the third quarter, both teams tied with just eight points each, with Keokuk keeping their nine point lead intact into the fourth quarter. Keokuk got out to the largest lead of the night in the fourth quarter at 11, but Washington was not giving up.

At the 3:30 mark in the fourth quarter, Washington got the spark they needed off the bench with Dylan Schluetter who nailed a three pointer right when the Demons needed it. Schluetter then got back door, and hit a eight-footer just out side the paint to get the Demons within six. Dema Giardino stepped up to the challenge in the fourth quarter as well, hitting a difficult lay-up , a three pointer, and then another layup and was fouled. Giardino missed the free throw, but it would not have mattered, as Keokuk found a back door pass to Kelsey Walters who put up the shot and put the Chiefs ahead by two with 2.6 seconds left, and the Demons couldn’t make the long shot.

Washington was led by Giardino with 14 points, Fishback had 11, and Schluetter had seven all in the fourth quarter.

Demon head coach Phil Long said his team hadn’t played a game in nine days, and it showed.

“We just didn’t have our game legs underneath us, and our patience underneath us offensively, and we were too much one pass, one drive and then just throw up something and hope it goes in,” Long said. “In the fourth quarter, Dylan Schluetter came off the bench and almost single-handedly got us back into the game, hit a big three and a nice little eight-foot jumber down underneath, and that was a quick five points, and I think we were down nine, if I remember right, going into the fourth quarter, but a good quality team like Keokuk has played four games since our last one, and it showed.”

Washington plays Ft. Madison tonight.