The KCII Area Game of the Week travels to Winfield tonight for its first look at Wolves basketball. WMU welcomes Pekin to town for a Superconference doubleheader, and it all goes down on the KCII3 Stream.
After picking up a pair of wins to start the season, the Winfield girls have dropped their last two entering Friday. While putting shots up has not been a problem for the Wolves through their first four games, they are shooting just over 23 percent from the field and averaging less than 30 points per night. WMU is also getting 28 rebounds, 7 assists, but committing 27 turnovers per game. Defensively, they’ve allowed 41 points per game to go with 53 total steals and two blocks. Winfield graduated all five starters from last year’s state qualifying team, but has seen great production so far from sophomore Madisen Kellogg. Outside of assists, Kellogg leads the Wolves in all offensive categories with 33 boards, 11 steals, and a block. Her 66 points this season is the most on the team by 45.
The Pekin Panther girls find themselves just ahead of WMU in the Superconference North with a 1-2 record overall. The Panthers average around 32 points per game while they give up 49. Shooting 29 percent from the floor, 18 percent from deep, and 36.4 percent from the free throw line, most of their scoring has come from a combination of senior Alex Parsons and sophomore Anna Hadley. Pekin matches up similarly to the Wolves on paper with 37 rebounds, seven assists, and 26 turnovers per game.
For the boys, WMU hopes to enjoy similar success to that of the football team this fall. They got off to a good start with a 50-27 win over Louisa Muscatine in the season opener. The Wolves shot the ball well Tuesday night, especially senior Abram Edwards, who went 12 of 17 from the floor with 24 points. They lose just one starter from last year’s team, which went 19-5 to earn a second-place finish in the conference. Those Wolves scored just under 60 points per game and gave up 40. Along with Edwards, key returners are seniors Carter Loyd and Cam Buffington, and junior Jake Edwards who all held starting roles in 2022-23.
They square off with Pekin tonight, who is also enjoying a 1-0 start to the campaign after defeating Wapello 62-35 on Tuesday. Last season, the Panthers finished middle of the pack in the SEISC North at 12-10. Finding themselves in several tight games, they averaged 55 points per game and allowed 48. Pekin will look to rely on their two returning starters, seniors Sven Dahlstrom and JaeDon Wolver.
Tune into WMU-Pekin on the KCII3 Stream available at KCIIradio.com. Coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. with the Area Game of the Week Pregame show, the girls tip at 6, followed by the boys live from Winfield.