Published on February 2, 2026 8:19 am
Last Updated on February 2, 2026 8:46 am
St. Anthony Coach Cody Rincker talks over the last play with Keenan Griffith during a time out. Kurt Becker photo
BY MILLIE LANGE
ALTAMONT — Down by two points with only four seconds remaining, Effingham St. Anthony had one shot and Keenan Griffith made that basket to claim the victory for Effingham St. Anthony in the championship game of the National Trail Conference Boys Basketball Tournament over Altamont, 51-50 Saturday evening.
It was a neck-and-neck contest from the start. Altamont moved into a 7-6 opening quarter lead behind four points by Parker Bell.
That lead stood at 17-14 at halftime in the low-scoring affair. Kade Milleville connected for five points while Cooper McManaway put in three points.
St. Anthony was being led by Miles Waldhoff and Freddie Jansen with four points each.
But, coming out after halftime, St. Anthony began it’s run. The Bulldogs’ Waldhoff went to work, hitting one regular basket and nailing three from beyond the arc for 11 points. Jonny Gannaway put in five points and Griffith hit a three and Jansen three of four from the line. And suddenly, the Bulldogs had moved ahead 36-32 going into the final quarter.
But Altamont went on a run of its own. K. Milleville connected on three baskets and a free throw for eight points in the quarter while Bell put in five and Zaine Miller hit a three.
But, the Bulldogs wouldn’t be denied. Griffith went to work nailing a three-pointer and putting in three of four at the line. Waldhoff hit four of six at the line and Jansen put in a basket.
Then it came down to the final seconds of the game. With four ticks remaining on the clock, Griffith took the ball and lofted it from beyond the three-point line and in it went at the buzzer.
Waldhoff led the way for the Bulldogs with 19 points on six field goals, half of those from three-point range, and four of six at the line. Griffith finished with 14 on four field goals, three of those three-pointers, and three of four at the line.
Altamont was led by three players in double figures. K. Milleville took the lead with seven field goals, three from beyond the arc, and two of four at the line for 19. Bell added 13 points and McManaway finished with 10.
The third place contest went to Cumberland over Dieterich, 57-50.
The Pirates held a 26-10 halftime lead but here came Dieterich behind the hot scoring of Bryce Bohnhoff with four baskets, one a three-pointer, and two of two at the line for 11 points. Ezra Cook and Jackson Icenogle put in a three each and the Pirates pulled within 41-32 going into the final period.
Dieterich continued on with an 18-16 final quarter but couldn’t make up that first half.
Cumberland was led by three players in double figures. Reed Miller hit five field goals and five of five at the line for 15 while Chase Stewart put in five three-pointers for 15 and Isaac Venatta 10.
Dieterich was also led by three players in double figures. Bohnhoff hit six field goals, one a three-pointer and three of four at the line for 16. Cook added 15 and Niemerg 12.
Seventh place went to Neoga over South Central, 55-41. The Indians held a 25-16 halftime lead and led by six going into the final quarter.
Brayden Ray tallied 22 points on seven field goals and a perfect eight of eight at the free throw line. Kaden Bryant put in 11.
South Central was led by Westin Neilson with 28 points on 10 field goals, two from beyond the arc, and six of seven at the line.
The consolation championship was claimed by North Clay over Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, 83-69.
The Cardinals moved into a 20-18 opening quarter lead as Carder Walden hit for eight points and Mason Byers seven.
That lead moved up to three points at halftime, 42-38 as Byers continued on with eight points and Walden hit two more three-pointers for six.
Brody Bible was keeping Windsor/Stew-Stras close with four baskets in the second period for nine and Wyatt Wetherell scored eight.
The Cardinals then had a 25-19 third quarter run. Kade Atwood put in 10 points while Cody Zimdars added nine.
North Clay then finished out with a 16-11 final quarter as Walden went back on the offensive attack with eight.
Walden finished with seven field goals, five from three-point range, and three of four at the line to lead with 22. Zimdars was at 20 points, Byers with 19 and Atwood at 12.
The Hatchets were led by Wetherell with 28 points on nine field goals, six from three-point range, and four of five at the line. Bible finished with 16 and Vonderheide with 13.
Named to the All-Tournament Team were Mason Byers (North Clay), Wyatt Wetherell (Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg), Westin Neilson (South Central), Cameron Roedl (Cumberland), Keenan Griffith (St. Anthony), Cody Zimdars (North Clay), Brayden Ray (Neoga), Brock Niemerg (Dieterich), Isaac Venatta (Cumberland), Cooper McManaway (Altamont), Miles Waldhoff (St. Anthony) and Kade Milleville (Altamont).
Winning the Todd Arnold Most Valuable Player Award was St. Anthony’s Miles Waldhoff.
St. Anthony won the Cheer Competition.
The Joe Milchman Scholarship went to North Clay’s Kade Atwood.
The National Trail Conference scholarships went to Kaylee Lurkins (Altamont) and August Cosart (Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City).
NTC Tournament
Championship
ALTAMONT (50)
Co. Pals 0-0 — 0, McManaway 5-2 — 12, Lurkins 0-0 — 0, K. Milleville 6-2 — 16, Bell 4-2 — 11, Berg 0-0 — 0, Johnson 2-2 — 6, Miller 2-0 — 5. TOTALS 19 FG, 8 FT.
ST. ANTHONY (51)
Verdeyen 0-0 — 0, Waldhoff 6-4 — 19, Sehy 0-0 — 0, Lauritzen 0-2 — 2, Jansen 2-5 — 9, Griffith 4-3 — 14, Gannaway 3-0 — 7, Looman 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 15 FG, 14 FT.
Altamont 7 10 15 18 — 50
St. Anthony 6 8 22 15 — 51
3-point FG — Altamont 4 (K. Milleville 2, Bell 1, Miller 1), St. Anthony 7 (Waldhoff 3, Griffith 3, Gannaway 1).
Third Place
DIETERICH (50)
French 1-0 — 2, Niemerg 0-0 — 0, A. Schottman 0-0 — 0, B. Schottman 0-0 — 0, Meinhart 0-0 — 0, Niemerg 4-3 — 12, Bohnhoff 6-3 — 16, Cook 5-2 — 15, Icenogle 1-2 — 5, Baxter 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 17 FG, 10 FT.
CUMBERLAND (57)
McMechan 1-0 — 3, Roedl 2-4 — 8, Stewart 4-0 — 12, Miller 5-5 — 15, Bierman 3-0 — 7, Venatta 3-4 — 10, Harmon 1-0 — 2. TOTALS 19 FG, 13 FT.
Dieterich 6 4 22 18 — 50
Cumberland 12 14 15 16 — 57
3-point FG — Dieterich 6 (Cook 3, Icenogle 1, Bohnhoff 1, Niemerg 1), Cumberland 6 (Stewart 4, McMechan 1, Bierman 1).
Seventh Place
NEOGA (55)
Ballinger 1-0 — 3, Hakman 0-0 — 0, Haarman 2-3 — 8, Coy 1-4 — 6, Sparrow 1-0 — 2, Ray 7-8 — 22, Fearday 0-0 — 0, Bryant 5-1 — 11, Shuler 1-0 — 3. TOTALS 18 FG, 16 FT.
SOUTH CENTRAL (41)
Hoover 2-0 — 5, Strobel 0-0 — 0, Gillespie 2-0 — 4, Hiestand 1-2 — 4, Sigrist 0-0 — 0, Neilson 10-6 — 28, Yates 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 15 FG, 8 FT.
Neoga 13 12 14 16 — 55
South Central 9 7 17 8 — 41
3-point FG — Neoga 3 (Ballinger 1, Haarman 1, Shuler 1), South Central 3 (Neilson 2, Hoover 1).
Consolation Championship
NORTH CLAY (83)
Atwood 4-3 — 12, Zimdars 8-3 — 20, Adair 0-0 — 0, Lewis 1-0 — 2, Griffey 4-0 — 8, Byers 6-6 — 19, Walden 7-3 — 22. TOTALS 30 FG, 15 FT.
WINDSOR/STEW-STRAS (69)
Wetherell 9-4 — 28, Morris 0-0 — 0, Rahn 0-0 — 0, Rincker 3-0 — 8, Jones 1-2 — 4, Gurgel 0-0 — 0, Dison 0-0 — 0, Bible 7-1 — 16, Vonderheide 4-5 — 13. TOTALS 24 FG, 12 FT.
North Clay 20 22 25 16 — 83
Windsor/Stew-Stras 18 21 19 11 — 69
3-point FG — North Clay 8 (Walden 5, Byers 1, Zimdars 1, Atwood 1), Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 9 (Wetherell 6, Rincker 2, Bible 1).