The Highland basketball teams lost a pair of close Southeast Iowa Super Conference games on Tuesday against Pekin to start up the second half of the season. 

The girls game was nip and tuck the entire way with a 24-24 tie at the break, a 40-36 Pekin lead after three, and a 56-52 final score in favor of the Panthers (3-6). Kerrigan Pope recorded a double-double for the road squad with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Dani Laughlin paced the Huskies with 18 points on seven of 11 made shots and the junior had seven steals. Sarah Burton recorded 13 points and Abbi Stransky had 11. Both teams had 23 turnovers and Pekin had a slight advantage in the rebounding department 30-29. The Huskies dropped to 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the conference. 

The Huskie boys dug themselves a 19-8 hole after one and 36-19 at the break. The lead was stretched to 19 by the end of the third and the Huskies won the fourth 18-9, but could not complete the comeback in a 59-49 loss to the Panthers (3-6). Chase Schultz paced the team with 18 points on six of 11 made shots. Connor Grinstead recorded 15 points and Devin Lovetinsky added seven boards. Highland moved to 0-8 overall and 0-7 in the league.