Altamont Captures NTC Tourney Championship

Altamont won the National Trail Conference Tournament for the second straight year. Caleb Moody photo

ALTAMONT -- Altamont High School captured the championship of the 87th Annual National Trail Conference Boys Basketball Tournament Saturday with a 51-32 victory over Effingham St. Anthony.

The Indians took charge early and the victory was never in doubt. With a 10-3 opening quarter run behind two baskets by Dillan Elam. Altamont held the Bulldogs to only three points, all by Collin Westendorf with a basket and a free throw.

Avery Jahraus knocked in five points in the second quarter and Altamont ended with a 19-11 first half lead.

The scoring got rolling in the second half as Altamont had an 18-11 third period run. Eli Miller put in five points while Jared Hammer connected on a basket and two free throws.

With a 37-22 third quarter lead, the final quarter was a matter of keeping control and the Indians definitely did with a 14-10 quarter. Avery Jahraus hit four of five free throws while Elam connected on two baskets and Logan Cornett hit a basket and two free throws.

It was a team effort as Elam and Jahraus finished with 11 points each while Hammer added eight. Five other players scored in the contest.

St. Anthony didn't have a player in double figures. Griffen Sehy led the way with nine points while Collin Westendorf and Brock Fearday had seven each.

The victory for Altamont was it's second straight NTC Tourney title and the Indians are now 19-3 on the season.

Altamont sits at No. 3 in the latest Class 1A State Basketball Poll.

North Clay (Louisville) tallied a 58-50 win over Dieterich for third place.

The Movin' Maroons took a 15-6 opening quarter lead and led 28-21 at halftime.

But the Cardinals went on a 21-8 third quarter run to lead 42-36 going into the final period where they continued on with a 16-14 run.

Three players hit double digits for the winners. Logan Fleener connected on seven field goals that included three trifectas, and was three of three at the line for 20 points. Alex Boose contributed 14 while Levi Smith added 11. North Clay connected on 15 of 19 free throws and hit seven three-pointers.

Dieterich also had three players hit double figures. Caleb Gephart tallied 16 on seven field goals and two of three at the line. Lucas Westendorf added 14 and Kolton Kidd 11. The Maroons hit four of nine free throws and had two three-pointers.

The consolation championship went to South Central over Neoga, 59-47.

The opening quarter was a duel as the Cougars took a 22-16 lead behind a three-ponter barrage. Rahkeim Anderson and Ethan Watwood put in two trifectas each whlie Aidan Dodson added a fifth one.

Neoga kept close as Quintin Richards scored seven points and Trey Sheehan six.

But the Cougars went on a 13-5 second quarter to lead 35-21 at halftime . Dodson hit three free throws and scored three baskets for 10 of his team's 13 points.

Neoga came back with an 11-7 third period run to pull within 10. But South Central got back on track with a 17-15 final period.

Dodson finished with 26 points on seven field goals, two from three-point range, and 10 of 13 at the line. Watwood chipped in with 11.

The Cougars hit 17 of 21 free throws and finished with eight three-pointers.

Neoga was led by Sheehan and Richards with 14 each.

Named to the All-Tournament Team were Avery Jahruas (Altamont) who was also named the Most Valuable Player, Dillan Elam (Altamont), Ryan Schmidt (St. Anthony), Eric Kollmann (Altamont), Logan Fleener (North Clay), Caleb Gephart (South Central) and Adam Atwood (St. Elmo/Brownstown).

Winning the National Trail Conference $500 scholarships were Ralph Thompson (Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City) and Lucy Fearday (St. Anthony). The Joe Milchman Scholarship went to Ethan Watwood (South Central).

National Trail Conference Tournament

Championship

ST. ANTHONY (32)

Link 0-2 -- 2, Wesendorf 3-1 -- 7, Ruholl 0-0 -- 0, B.  Fearday 3-1 -- 7, Sehy 3-1 -- 9, Koenig 0-1 -- 1, Schmidt 2-2 -- 6, Martelli 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 11 FG, 8 FT.

ALTAMONT (51)

Hammer 3-2 -- 8, Stuemke 0-0 -- 0, Davis 0-0 -- 0, Al. Jahraus 0-0 -- 0, Miller 2-0 -- 5, Elam 5-1 -- 11, Av. Jahraus 1-8 -- 11, McManaway 0-0 -- 0, Schultz 0-0 -- 0, Roedl 0-0 -- 0, Roedl 0-0 -- 0, Cornett 1-4 -- 6, Eirhart 1-0 -- 2, Kollmann 2-2 -- 6, Miller 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 16 FG, 17 FT.

St. Anthony               3    8    11    10    --    32

Altamont                  10    9    18    14    --    51

3-point FG -- St. Anthony 2 (Sehy 2), Altamont 2 (Miller 1, Av. Jahraus 1).

Third Place Game

DIETERICH (50)

Niebrugge 0-0 -- 0, Funneman 2-1 -- 5, C. Will 1-0 -- 2, T. Waill 0-0 -- 0, Westendorf 6-1 -- 14, Gephart 7-2 -- 16, Curry 1-0 -- 2, Kidd 5-0 -- 11. TOTALS 22 FG, 4 FT.

NORTH CLAY (58)

Zimdars 2-2 -- 8, Kuenstler 1-0 -- 3, Smith 4-3 -- 11, Fleener 7-3 -- 20, Boose 4-5 -- 14, Walden 0-2 -- 2, Weidner 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 18 FG, 15 FT.

Dieterich                 15    13      8    14    --    50

North Clay                6    15    21    16    --    58

3-point FG -- Dieterich 2 (Westendorf 1, Kidd 1), North Clay 7 (Fleener 3, Zimdars 2, Kuenstler 1, Boose 1).

Consolation Championship

SEB (44)

Pasley 5-0 -- 12, Schaub 4-0 -- 10, Atwood 3-2 -- 8, Mason 2-2 -- 6, Campbell 1-0 -- 3, Maxey 1-0 -- 3, Stine 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 17 FG, 4 FT.

WSS (51)

A. Wittenberg 9-7 -- 25, Gurgel 2-0 -- 6, J. Wittenberg 2-2 -- 6, Chaney 1-2 -- 5, Gracey 1-0 -- 3, Curry 1-0 -- 2, Rincker 1-0 -- 2, Bridges 1-0 -- 2, Smith 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 18 FG, 11 FT.

SEB                10    13    10    11    --    44

WSS               17      2    10    22    --    51

3-point FG -- St. Elmo/Brownstown 6 (Pasley 2, Schaub 2, Campbell 1, Maxey 1), Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 4 (Gurgel 2, Chaney 1, Gracey 1).

Consolation Championship

NEOGA (47)

titus 3-0 -- 9, Reynolds 2-3 -- 8, Keller 0-0 -- 0, Letterle 0-0 -- 0, Sheehan 6-2 -- 14, Richards 6-1 -- 14, Hennesay 0-0 -- 0, Will 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 18  FG, 6 FT.

SOUTH CENTRAL (59)

Anderson 2-2 -- 8, Watwood 2-5 -- 11, Dodson 7-10 -- 26, Markley 1-0 -- 3, Magnus 1-0 -- 3, Buonaura 3-0 -- 6, Bergmann 1-0 -- 2, Smith 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 17 FG, 17 FT.

Neoga                           16      5    11    15     --    47

South Central              22    13      7    17     --     59

3-point FG -- Neoga 5 (Titus 3, Reynolds 1, richards 1), South Central 8 (Anderson 2, Watwood 2, Dodson 2, Markley 1, Magnus 1).

The National Trail Conference All-Tournament Team.             Caleb Moody photo

Winning the National Trail Conference $500 scholarships were, left to right, Lucy Fearday (St. Anthony), presenter Jamie VanScyoc and Ralph Thompson (Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City)      Caleb Moody photo