Neoga Girls Win Title, Neoga Boys Finish Third At Monticello

MONTICELLO -- Neoga High School made its presence known at the Monticello Holiday Hoopla Basketball Tournaments.

The Indians captured the championship of the girls tourney by downing Tuscola, 49-36.

Tuscola edged out to an 11-10 opening quarter lead and led 29-23 at halftime. The Indians rallied with a 17-4 third quarter run to move ahead 40-33 going into the final period. They kept the pressure on with a 9-3 final quarter.

Sydney Richards led the way for Neoga with 21 points. Trista Moore finished with nine and Haylee Campbell with eight.

Neoga improved to 14-2 on the season. Named to the All-Tournament Team were Sydney Richards, Trista Moore and Avery Fearday.

In other games, Clinton beat Ridgeview 45-22 for third place, Monticello won over Paxton-Buckley-Loda 57-39 for fifth place and Gibson City-Melvn Sibley downed Stark County 48-23 for seventh place.

Other members of the All-Tournament Team were Ella Boyer (Tuscola), Kaitlyn Rauch (Clinton), Mallory Cyrulik (Clinton), Sophie Kremitzki (Tuscola), Renni Fultz (Monticello), Lizzie Stiverson (Monticello) and Lorena Arnett (Paxton-Buckley-Loda).

In the boys tournament. Neoga claimed third place with a 44-31 victory over Paxton/Buckley-Loda.

The Indians edged out to a 14-12 opening quarter lead and led 20-14 at halftime. Paxton-Buckley-Loda came back with a 9-7 third quarter to trail 27-23 going into the final period. Neoga then got back on track with a 17-8 final quarter.

Paci McClure led the Indians with 25 points on nine field goals that included four three-pointers and was three of three at the line. Luke Romack added seven points.

In other games Wednesday, Monticello defeated Tuscola 50-34 for the championship, Oakwood won over GCMS 54-44 for fifth place and Clinton downed Ridgeview 58-47 for seventh place.

McClure was named to the All-Tournament Team for Neoga along with Ben Cresap (Monticello), Jalen Quinn (Tuscola), Keegan Busboom (PBL), Josh Young (Oakwood), Dylan Ginalick (Monticello), Preston Brown (Tuscola), Seth Barnes (GCMS), Cam Kelly (Ridgeview) and Tanner Buehnerkemper (Monticello).

Monticello Holiday Girls Hoopla

Championship

TUSCOLA (36)

A. Boyer 1-0 -- 2, E. Boyer 4-0 -- 11, Musgrave 0-0 -- 0, Woodard 0-0 -- 0, Wilcox 1-0 -- 3, Stahler 1-1 -- 4, Krermitzki 0-2 -- 2, Miss 6-0 -- 12, Macaulay 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 14 FG, 3 FT.

NEOGA (49)

Worman 0-0 -- 0, Sampson 0-0 -- 0, Hakman 1-3 -- 5, S. Richards 8-5 -- 21, Fearday 3-0 -- 6, Moore 4-1 -- 9, Campbell 4-0 -- 8. TOTALS 20 FG, 9 FT.

Tuscola            11    18      4    3    --    36

Neoga              10    13    17    9    --    49

3-point FG -- Tuscola 5 (E. Boyer 3, Wilcox 1, Stahler 1), Neoga 0.

Monticello Holiday Boys Hoopla

Third Place Game

PAXTON/BUCKLEY/LODA (31)

Ager 2-1 -- 5, Busboom 1-0 -- 3, Sanders 0-0 -- 0, Medlock 0-1 -- 1, Knight 3-2 -- 7, Bruns 1-3 -- 5, Uden 0-2 -- 2, Graham 0-0 -- 0, Gronsky 3-0 -- 6, Johnson 0-0 -- 0, Hitz 0-0 -- 0, Donaldson 0-0 -- 0, Snelling 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 10 FG, 9 FT.

NEOGA (44)

Young 2-0 -- 4, Peters 0-0 -- 0, Perry 3-0 -- 6, McClure 9-3 -- 25, Romack 3-1 -- 7, Tegan 0-0 -- 0, Reynolds 0-0 -- 0, Richards 1-0 -- 2, O'Dell 0-0 -- 0, Bullock 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 18 FG, 4 FT.

PBL              12    2    9      8    --    31

Neoga          14    6    7    17    --    44

3-point FG -- 2 (Busboom 1, Knight 1), Neoga 4 (McClure 4).