Dieterich Outlasts SEB to Reach NTC Tournament Championship Game, Cowden-Herrick Advances to Consolation Championship Game; Other Thursday Scores

The top-seeded and undefeated Dieterich Movin Maroons were pushed to the limit Thursday night, but still claimed a 51-47 win over the St. Elmo/Brownstown Eagles to advance to the championship game of the 80th Annual National Trail Conference Tournament.

In the other Thursday contest at Altamont, the Cowden-Herrick Hornets rode a huge second half to a 64-36 win over the Beecher City Eagles to advance to the consolation championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday. 

Dieterich will play the winner of Friday night's St. Anthony/South Central game for the conference tournament championship at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The loser of the St. Anthony/South Central game will play St. Elmo/Brownstown for third place honors at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Dieterich, which played without 6-foot-6 junior Travis Niemerg due to an ankle injury suffered in Tuesday's win over Beecher City, and SEB battled throughout the contest. There were numerous lead changes in the first quarter, but Dieterich led 17-13 at the end of the frame. SEB came back, though, to outscore the Maroons 16-13 in the second period to pull within 30-29 at halftime.

Then followed a weird third quarter where each team scored one basket, a three-pointer for Alex Bohnhoff for Dieterich and a two-pointer for Landon Feezel for SEB, and Dieterich was up 33-31 heading to the fourth quarter.

SEB got three baseline jumpers and a big rebound from Kyle Hardimon as well as good defense inside and stellar play by point guard Malachi "Jo Jo" Maxey to pull ahead to a six-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. Dieterich came storming back, though, to erase the lead, in part capitalizing on a series of SEB turnovers. 

Alex Bohnhoff scored nine points in the fourth quarter to key the comeback, hitting a three and a two to help lead the surge. Then, when SEB had the ball down two with a chance to tie or take the lead, Bohnhoff got a steal and a layup to seal the win.

After a 10-for-18 first half from the field, Dieterich hit four-of-17 in the second half, but held on for the victory. SEB had a 12-for-23 first half, and hit seven of 10 shots in the fourth quarter, but was plagued by eight turnovers in the final period.

Dieterich finished 14 of 35 from the field for 40%, while SEB went 20 of 42 for 48%, but Dieterich outscored SEB 18-4 at the foul line and hit two more three-point baskets. SEB finished with 22 turnovers to 10 for Dieterich, but SEB had a huge 32-19 rebounding edge over the Maroons.

Bohnhoff finished with 22 points to lead Dieterich. Devin Aherin scored 12 points, Nick Feldhake nine and Lance Niemerg eight.

Maxey scored 19 points to lead SEB and had nine rebounds, while Landon Feezel scored 10 points with nine rebounds. Also for SEB: Kyle Hardimon six, Cole Smithson five, Noah Flowers three, and Brock Oberlink and Klayton Kroll two each.

Dieterich improved to 22-0, while SEB is now 8-13 on the season.

Tickets for Dieterich will go on sale at the high school office today. Tickets for boys basketball players, cheerleaders, coaches of teams participating, Board of Education members, athletic director and administration will be on sale from 8-8:15 a.m. followed by staff and high school students from 8:15-8:45, junior high students from 8:45-9, reserved seats and season ticket holders and family season pass holders from 9-10 and to the general public from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

There is no limit to the number of tickets that may be purchased by each individual. The ticket allotment for Dieterich Higih School will be sold Friday only. If you don't buy Friday at Dieterich, they may be bought at the door at Altamont Saturday before the game.

Game 8

ST. ELMO/BROWNSTOWN (47)

Brooks 0-0 -- 0, Maxey 8-2 -- 19, Kroll 1-0 -- 2, Noll 0-0 -- 0, Flowers 1-0 -- 3, Smithson 2-0 -- 5, Feezel 4-2 -- 10,  Oberlink 1-0 -- 2, Hardimon 3-0 -- 6. TOTALS 20 FG, 4 FT.

DIETERICH (51)

Campton 0-0 -- 0, Mellendorf 0-0 -- 0, Bohnhoff 7-5 -- 22, Feldhake 3-2 -- 9, Niemerg 1-5 -- 8, Aherin 3-6 -- 12, Heuerman 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 14 FG, 18 FT.

St. Elmo/Brownstown           13    16    2    16    --    47

Dieterich                                   17    13    3    18    --    51

3-point FG -- St. Elmo/Brownstown 3 (Maxey 1, Flowers 1, Smithson 1), Dieterich 5 (Bohnhoff 3, Feldhake 1, Niemerg 1)

In the opener, Cowden-Herrick outscored Beecher City 34-13 in the second half to claim the win.

It was 10-9 Beecher City after one quarter, but Cowden-Herrick led 30-23 at halftime and then came the big second half. Cowden-Herrick outscored Beecher City 21-5 in the final quarter.

Colton Burrus scored 17 points, all in the first half, for Cowden-Herrick. In the process, Burrus scored his 1,000th career point. Konner Blackerby led Cowden-Herrick with 18 points, Micah Sandiford scored 10, Trey Pasley eight, Dylan Barnes five, Colton Sphar four, and Noah Sandiford two.

Daniel Harder had 12 points and 11 rebounds to lead Beecher City. Also for the Eagles: Austin Rexroad 11, Westen Giles five, Zane Brandt three, Austin Stefanski and Jake Wills two apiece, and Andrew Moeller one point.

Cowden-Herrick is now 12-8 on the season, while Beecher City is 3-15 and is eliminated from further tournament play.

Recent players who have reached their 1,000th career points during the NTC Tournament, along with Burrus, have been Garrett Ziegler (Altamont), Levi Maxey (St. Elmo/Brownstown), Jacob Behrends (St. Elmo/Brownstown) and Jake Baker (Neoga) in 2014, T.J. Roy (Neoga) in 2012, Taylor Worman (St. Anthony) in 2010, Ben Giertz (Stewardson-Strasburg) in 2008, Colton Booher (St. Elmo) in 2007 and Logan Mahon (St. Elmo) in 2006. Mahon reached 1,500 varsity points for his career during tournament week in 2007.

Game Seven

BEECHER CITY (36)

Wills 1-0 -- 2, Giles 2-0 -- 5, Arnold 0-0 -- 0, Bales 0-0 -- 0, Stefanski 1-0 -- 2, Rexroad 5-1 -- 11, Buzzard 0-0 -- 0, Moeller 0-1 -- 1, Brandt 1-0 -- 3, Shelton 0-0 -- 0, Harder 3-6 -- 12. TOTALS 13 FG, 8 FT.

COWDEN-HERRICK (64)

Sphar 2-0 -- 4, Blackerby 6-3 -- 18, M. Sandiford 3-0 -- 7, Lorton 1-0 -- 3, Burrus 6-2 -- 17, Black 0-0 -- 0, N. Sandiford 1-0 -- 2, Pasley 3-0 -- 8, Nohren 0-0 -- 0, Barnes 2-0 -- 5. TOTALS 24 FG, 5 FT.

Beecher City               10    13      8       5    --    36

Cowden-Herrick           9    21    13    21    --    64

3-point FG -- Beecher City 2 (Giles 1, Brandt 1), Cowden-Herrick 11 (Blackerby 3, M. Sandiford 1, Lorton 1, Burrus 3, Pasley 2, Barnes 1).

Again, Friday night, Altamont will play Neoga at 6:15pm for the right to advance to the consolation championship game, and then St. Anthony will battle South Central to see who advances to the championship game Saturday night. Hear both games on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com including live video and audio streaming.