Published on January 28, 2026 7:54 am
Last Updated on January 28, 2026 8:19 am
BY MILLIE LANGE
ALTAMONT — Two higher seeds already went by the wayside as the 90th National Trail Conference Boys Basketball Tournament got underway at Altamont High School Tuesday evening.
In the first game, No. 9 seeded Neoga moved into the early lead on No. 8 Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City and went on for a 57-48 victory.
Malik Coy connected on two three-pointers and a regular basket for eight of his team’s 11 opening quarter points as the Indians got in front of the Bobcats, 11-8.
Neoga kept the momentum with a 10-8 second period. This time it was Brayden Ray who took over the scoring duties, hitting two baskets and a free throw for half of his team’s points as the Indians led 21-16.
Remington Howell fired in two baskets and two free throws for six of CHBC’s eight points in that second period.
Ray was just getting started. During the third quarter, he went on a three-basket run and stepped to the line to hit four of four free throws for 10 of Neoga’s 12 points.
But the Bobcats decided it was time to mount an attack with a 16-12 quarter to pull within 33-32. Howell connected on two baskets and two free throws while August Cosart and Clive Schlanser put in two baskets each.
Ray went on a run to put the game away. He hit three baskets and was six of nine at the line for half of his team’s 24 points. Kaden Bryant chipped in with six and Ballinger hit his second three-pointer of the contest.
Neoga got back into rhythm with a 24-16 final period. Ray continued on with his hot scoring as he tallied on three more baskets and was six of eight at the line to finish with 29 points on nine field goals and 11 of 15 at the line.
CHBC was led by Howell with five field goals and seven of eight at the line for 17 while Griffin Vaughn added 12.
Neoga advances to meet top-seeded Cumberland at 5 p.m. today.
South Central, seeded 10th, upset No. 7 St. Elmo/Brownstown, 45-42.
The Cougars stepped out to an 8-4 opening quarter lead on SEB and held a 20-15 halftime lead. Westin Neilson was the catalyst for the Cougars. He hit only one basket in the opening quarter then went to work with two regular baskets, a three-pointer and a free throw for eight in the second period.
Bentley Sanders led the Eagles with a basket and three of four at the line for five while Benji Lowe contributed four.
But the third quarter was all St. Elmo/Brownstown. The Eagles’ Graidon Wilhour hit two baskets and a free throw while Dodge Willms put in a regular basket and a three-pointer for five points each. Jayden Hughett chipped in with a three and the lead suddenly went to the other side of the scoreboard.
But the Cougars rallied in the final quarter. Neilson was held down to only one basket in that third quarter but broke loose. He found the range from beyond the arc with three baskets and connected on three of four free throws for 12 of his team’s 17 points and the Cougars pulled out the win.
Neilson finished with 24 points on eight field goals, four of those three-pointers, and four of seven at the line.
St. Elmo/Brownstown was led by Sanders with four baskets and four of six at the line for 12 points.
The third contest was claimed by No. 3 Dieterich over No. 6 Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, 59-45.
The Maroons inched into a 15-14 opening quarter lead as Bryce Bohnhoff hit a three-pointer and two regular baskets for seven and Brock Niemerg put in a three and a free throw for four.
Six players scored for the Hatchets with Wyatt Wetherell and Jakob Gurgel connecting on a three each.
Dieterich moved its lead to 31-29 at halftime as Ezra Cook scored seven and the Maroons were hitting five of six from the free throw line. Auston Rahn scored four points while Wetherell and Gurgel knocked down a three each.
Dieterich then put the moves on WSS with a 28-16 second half. Bohnhoff connected on six of six from the field and a free throw for 13 points while Niemerg continued on with his hot scoring from the free throw line, finishing with eight of 12.
Bohnhoff tallied 24 on 11 field goals, one from beyond the arc, and one of two at the line. Niemerg and Cook added 13 points each.
The Hatchets were led by Wetherell with three three-pointers and five of six at the line for 14 points.
Dieterich will now face the winner of the St. Anthony vs. South Central contest Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Tonight’s games find Cumberland vs. Neoga at 5 p.m., Altamont vs. North Clay at 6:30 and St. Anthony vs. South Central at 8.
NTC Tournament
Game One
NEOGA (57)
Ballinger 2-0 — 6, Hakman 0-0 — 0, Haarman 1-1 — 3, Coy 3-0 — 8, Sparrow 0-2 — 2, Ray 9-11 — 29, Fearday 0-0 — 0, Bryant 2-4 — 9. TOTALS 17 FG, 18 FT.
CHBC (48)
Cosart 3-0 — 6, G. Vaughn 6-0 — 12, Howell 5-7 — 17, Witteborg 0-0 — 0, Sarver 1-0 — 2, Lilly 1-0 — 2, Schlanser 4-0 — 8, C. Vaughn 0-0 — 0, Wells 0-1 — 1. TOTALS 20 FG, 8 FT.
Neoga 11 10 12 24 — 57
CHBC 8 8 16 16 — 48
3-point FG — Neoga 5 (Ballinger 2, Coy 2, Bryant 1), Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 0.
Game Two
SOUTH CENTRAL (45)
Hoover 3-0 — 7, Strobel 0-1 — 1, Gillespie 1-0 — 3, Hiestand 3-2 — 8, Sigrist 1-0 — 2, Neilson 8-4 — 24, Yates 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 16 FG, 7 FT.
SEB (42)
J. Wilhour 0-0 — 0, Willms 3-0 — 8, Voelker 0-0 — 0, Sanders 4-4 — 12, Seabaugh 0-2 — 2, Hughett 3-0 — 7, Schaub 0-0 — 0, G. Wilhour 4-1 — 9, Lowe 2-0 — 4, Gillespie 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 16 FG, 7 FG.
South Central 8 12 8 17 — 45
SEB 4 11 17 10 — 42
3-point FG — South Central 6 (Neilson 4, Hoover 1, Gillespie 1), St. Elmo/Brownstown 3 (Willms 2, Hughett 1).
Game Three
WSS (45)
Wetherell 3-5 — 14, Morris 0-0 — 0, Rahn 2-3 — 7, Rincker 1-0 — 2, Jones 0-0 — 0, Gurgel 3-0 — 9, Dison 1-0 — 2, Bible 3-1 — 7, Vonderheide 0-4 — 4. TOTALS 13 FG, 13 FT.
DIETERICH (59)
French 0-0 — 0, Niemerg 1-0 — 2, Schottman 0-0 — 0, B. Schottman 0-0 — 0, Meinhart 1-0 — 2, Niemerg 2-8 — 13, Bohnhoff 11-1 — 24, Cook 5-2 — 13, Icenogle 0-5 — 5. TOTALS 20 FG, 16 FT.
WSS 14 15 9 7 — 45
Dieterich 15 16 13 15 — 59
3-point FG — Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 6 (Wetherell 3, Gurgel 3), Dieterich 3 (Niemerg 1, Bohnhoff 1, Cook 1)