Published on January 7, 2026 11:51 am
Last Updated on January 7, 2026 11:53 am
BY MILLIE LANGE
MATTOON — Neoga High School edged out to a four point lead on Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg and finished with a four point victory by a 58-54 tally in boys basketball Tuesday evening.
Brayden Ray scored eight of the team’s 17 points in the opening quarter with three baskets and two of two at the line. Braylon Sparrow chipped in with a three-pointer and Kaden Bryant added five.
But Windsor/Stew-Stras came back with a 19-10 second quarter to lead 32-27 at halftime. Brody Bible hit three baskets and a free throw to lead with seven.
Then it was back to Neoga in the third quarter with a 22-19 edge. Trenton Ballinger hit two three-pointers while Evan Fearday added six and Jack Finney added a three-pointer.
Seth Rincker put in nine points for the Hatchets.
Neoga then came back with a 15-3 final period as Ballinger went on a tear from beyond the arc. He connected on three trifectas and a free throw for 10 of his team’s 15 points.
Ballinger finished the game with five three-pointers and one of two at the line for 16 points. Coy chipped in with 11.
Windsor/Stew-Stras was led by Bible with 24 points on eight field goals and eight free throws. Rincker added 13.
The Hatchets fall to 0-2 in the National Trail Conference, 9-7 overall and is back in action Friday at St. Elmo/Brownstown.
In junior varsity play, Neoga won 57-54. Evan Fearday led with 22 points while Ballinger added 16 and Fearday 11.
Windsor/Stew-Stras was led by Mason Manhart with 20 and Brody Barnhard with 10.
At Mattoon
WINDSOR/STEW-STRAS (54)
Morris 0-0 — 0, Rahn 1-1 — 4, Rincker 5-1 — 13, Jones 2-2 — 6, Gurgel 0-0 — 0, Dison 0-0 — 0, Bible 8-8 — 24, Owens 1-1 — 3, Vonderheide 0-0 — 0, Manhart 2-0 — 4. TOTALS 19 FG, 13 FT.
NEOGA (58)
Ballinger 5-1 — 16, Hakman 0-0 — 0, Haarman 1-1 — 4, Coy 3-5 — 11, Sparrow 2-1 — 7, Ray 3-3 — 9, Fearday 2-1 — 5, Bryant 2-2 — 6, Shuler 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 18 FG, 14 FT.
Windsor/Stew-Stras 13 19 19 3 — 54
Neoga 17 10 16 15 — 58
3-point FG — Windsor/Stew-Stras 3 (Rincker 2, Rahn 1), Neoga 8 (Ballinger 5, Sparrow 2, Haarman 1).
Junior Varsity Game
Windsor/Stew-Stras 20 13 10 11 — 54
Neoga 10 19 22 6 — 57
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg — Manhart 20, Barnhard 10, Gurgel 7, Morris 9, Vonderheide 0, Corrie 0, Holland 0, Owens 8, Slifer 0
Neoga — Ballinger 16, Hakman 1, Andrews 0, Porter 4, Platz 3, Finney 0, Welsh 11, Fearday 22
At Marshall
Altamont trailed Marshall in only one quarter and that was the opener by a 13-12 tally. The Indians came back to lead 22-21 at halftime and 34-31 going into the final quarter and claimed a 48-42 victory Tuesday evening in a non-conference matchup.
The Indians’ Kade Milleville and Parker Bell scored four points each in the first quarter while Zaine Miller had a three-pointer.
Miller hit another three-pointer in the second period and K. Milleville four points as the Indians had a slight 10-8 edge.
Altamont moved ahead by a 34-31 tally in the third period and finished strong with a 14-11 margin as K. Milleville hit a three-pointer and was seven of 10 from the free throw line. Altamont improved to 8-6.
Milleville led the way in scoring with 24 points on seven field goals, two from beyond the arc, and eight of 11 at the line. Miller finished with 12 points.
In the junior varsity game, Altamont was a 42-25 winner.
Leading the Indians in scoring were Blake Berg with 12 and Nate Lurkins with 11.
At Marshall
ALTAMONT (48)
Co. Pals 0-0 — 0, McManaway 0-2 — 2, K. Milleville 7-8 — 24, Parker 2-2 — 6, Bridges 0-0 — 0, Johnson 1-0 — 2, Berg 1-0 — 2, Miller 3-4 — 12. TOTALS 14 FG, 16 FT.
MASHALL (42)
Osborn 0-0 — 0, Keim 0-0 — 0, McGuire 5-2 — 13, Sheehy 2-0 — 5, Pugh 5-5 — 16, Jones 0-0 — 0, Griguhn 3-2 — 8. TOTALS 15 FG, 9 FT.
Altamont 12 10 12 14 — 48
Marshall 13 8 10 11 — 42
3-point FG — Altamont 4 (K. Milleville 2, Miller 2), Marshall 3 (McGuire 1, Sheehy 1, Pugh 1).
Junior Varsity Game
Altamont 11 10 9 12 — 42
Marshall 4 14 4 3 — 25
Altamont — Chase 3, Lurkins 11, C. Milleville 9, Bannister 3, Berg 12, Bridges 4
Marshall — Stuckey 2, Jennings 3, Landrus 3, Welsh 2, Giannavola 0, Williams 0, Jones 6, Brodie 0, Ramsey 0, Sumner 5, Sheehy 4
At Paris
Dieterich held the lead through the four quarters and finished with a 61-53 victory over Paris Tuesday evening.
The Maroons held a 15-12 opening quarter lead as Brock Niemerg went on a scoring run with three regular baskets, a three-pointer and a free throw for 10 of his team’s points. Alex Schottman chipped in with a three-pointer.
The Maroons pushed that lead to 37-19 at halftime. Niemerg put in another three-pointer while Jackson Icenogle added two threes and Bryce Bohhoff scored six and Ezra Cook five.
Paris came back with a 16-9 third quarter and finished out with an 18-13 final period run but the Maroons held on for the victory.
Four players hit double figures. Niemerg led the way with seven field goals, three from three-point range, and two of four at the line for 19 points. Bohnhoff and Cook chipped in with 13 each and Icenogle added 11.
At Paris
DIETERICH (61)
French 0-0 — 0, G. Niemerg 0-0 — 0, Schottman 2-0 — 5, B. Niemerg 7-2 — 19, Bohnhoff 6-1 — 13, Cook 4-5 — 13, Icenogle 3-3 — 11, Bierman 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 22 FG, 11 FT.
PARIS (53)
Mills 0-0 — 0, Rogers 4-0 — 9, Mar. Hutchings 5-2 — 14, Vitale 2-2 — 9, Brown 0-0 — 0, Eastham 2-6 — 10, Mad. Hutchings 5-0 — 11. TOTALS 19 FG, 10 FT.
Dieterich 15 22 9 15 — 61
Paris 11 8 16 18 — 53
3-point FG — Dieterich 6 (Niemerg 3, Icenogle 2, Schottman 1), Paris 5 (Mar. Hutchings 2, Rogers 1, Vitale 1, Mad. Hutchings 1).
At Newton
Newton played host to Vandalia and claimed a 60-42 victory Tuesday evening.
The Eagles held a 10-5 opening quarter lead behind seven points by Drake Wolf on two regular baskets and a three-pointer and a trifecta from Hayden Mulvey.
The lead went to 29-13 at halftime. Mulvey hit two three-pointers and a regular basket for eight while Eli Wolf connected on a three-pointer and two baskets for seven.
Kody Bergbower took over the scoring in the third quarter for the Eagles. He connected on three baskets for six points and the Eagles led 43-28 going into the final period.
Mulvey and D. Wolf scored 15 points each for the Eagles. Mulvey hit three two-pointers and three three-pointers while D. Wolf connected on seven field goals, six from beyond the arc.
Newton is 8-6 on the season and won’t be back in action until next Tuesday at Effingham.
At Newton
VANDALIA (42)
McCarty 1-0 — 3, Stombaugh 5-1 — 12, Casey 4-0 — 9, Robbins 1-0 — 2, Metzger 0-1 — 1, Bowers 4-1 — 9, McDowell 2-1 — 6, Nestrick 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 17 FG, 4 FT.
NEWTON (60)
H. Mulvey 6-0 — 15, Bergbower 4-1 — 9, E. Wolf 3-2 — 9, Mulvey 0-3 — 3, Volk 0-2 — 2, Oldham 3-1 — 7, Huber 0-0 — 0, D. Wolf 7-0 — 15. TOTALS 23 FG, 9 FT.
Vandalia 5 8 15 14 — 42
Newton 10 19 14 17 — 60
3-point FG — Vandalia 4 (McCarty 1, Stombaugh 1, Casey 1, McDowell 1), Newton 5 (Mulvey 3, E. Wolf 1, D. Wolf 1).
At Cowden
Shelbyville hit a shot at the buzzer to edge Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City by a 58-56 tally in Tuesday evening action.
The Rams edged ahead 11-10 in the opening quarter. Griffin Vaughn connected for five points for CHBC.
Shelbyville held a one point lead at halftime, 21-20.
The Bobcats came back with an 18-15 third quarter run to lead 38-36 going into the final period. Vaughn put in 11 points while Howell hit two three-pointers and two free throws for eight.
But the Rams knotted the score at 48-48 in the final period, sending the game into overtime where the Rams pulled out the victory.
CHBC was led by G. Vaughn with seven field goals, three from beyond the arc, and seven free throws for 24 points. Howell added 12 and Porter Lilly 10.
At Cowden
Overtime
SHELBYVILLE (58)
Beyers 5-5 — 19, Hardy 2-0 — 4, Bruns 2-1 — 5, Brinkoetter 3-2 — 8, Clark 1-0 — 2, Georges 8-3 — 20. TOTALS 21 FG, 11 FT.
CHBC (56)
G. Vaughn 7-7 — 24, Dilley 0-0 — 0, Howell 4-2 — 12, Sarver 1-0 — 2, Lilly 5-0 — 10, Schlanser 2-3 — 8. TOTALS 19 FG, 12 FT.
Shelbyville 11 10 15 12 10 — 58
CHBC 10 10 18 10 8 — 56
3-point FG — Shelbyville 5 (Beyers 4, Georges 1), Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 4 (G. Vaughn 3, Schlanser 1).
At Oblong
Oblong/Palestine/Hutsonville hosted St. Elmo/Brownstown and claimed a 66-48 win Tuesday evening.
OPH ripped out to a 25-4 opening quarter lead and held off a second half challenge by the Eagles for the victory.
SEB had a 31-27 second half.
Three players finished in double figures for the Eagles. Jayden Hughett tallied 13 points on three field goals and seven of 11 at the line. Graidon Wilhour and Benji Lowe added 12 each.
Dodge Willms led in rebounds with seven and assists with three. G. Wilhour had two steals.
St. Elmo/Brownstown dropped to 7-7 on the season. The Eagles return to play tonight, traveling to Okaw Valley.
At Oblong
SEB (48)
Hughett 3-7 — 13, G. Wilhour 4-3 — 12, Lowe 3-5 — 12, Willms 1-2 — 4, J. Wilhour 1-1 — 3, Sanders 1-1 — 3, Powell 0-1 — 1, Schaub 0-0 — 0, Voelker 0-0 — 0, R. Powell 0-0 — 0, Beccue 0-0 — 0, Seabaugh 0-0 -0, N. Wilhour 0-0 -0. TOTALS 13 FG, 19 FT .
OPH (66)
No scoring listed
SEB 4 13 18 13 — 48
OPH 25 14 10 17 — 66
3-point FG — St. Elmo/Brownstown 3 (G. Wilhour 1, Lowe 1, J. Wilhour 1).