Stew-Stras, Neoga, B'town Advance in NTC Tourney

BEECHER CITY -- Stewardson-Strasburg, Neoga and Brownstown advanced into winner bracket play at the National Trail Conference Eighth-Grade Girls Basketball Tournament Thursday.

In the opening game, Stew-Stras defeated Beecher City/Cowden-Herrick 36-27. Two Stew-Stras players finished in doubles figures. B. Schlechte tallied 17 and M. Schlechte 11. BCCH was led by Hope Barnes with eight. The score was tied at 11-11 at halftime before Stew-Stras took off with a 14-3 third quarter run.

In the second game, Neoga trounced Dieterich 46-6. Neoga held a 26-4 halftime lead and never looked back. Rachel Ewing tallied 14 while Jaycie Roy scored 16 for the winners. Madison Bannick led Dieterich with four.

In the final contest, Brownstown was a 33-22 winner over Effingham Sacred Heart. Brownstown held a 15-9 halftime lead then had a 14-6 third quarter run to pull away. Morgan Brown scored 14 for the winners. Kourtney Cordes, Becca Webster and Sydney Webster had five each for the Shamrocks.

In tonight's games, Dieterich meets Sacred Heart at 5:30 p.m. in consolation bracket play while winner bracket action features top-seeded Altamont against Stew-Stras at 6:45 p.m. and Neoga facing Brownstown at 8.

The tourney comes to a close Saturday with the consolation championship at 9 a.m., the third place game at 10:15 and the championship at 11:30.

NTC Tournament

Game One

BCCH                    5    6      3    13    --    27

Stew-Stras          6    5    14    11    --    36

Beecher City/Cowden-Herrick -- Kirchhofer 6, Endsley 1, Miller 2, Morrison 4, Johnson 4, Wehrle 2, Barnes 8

Stew-Stras -- M. Schlechte 11, Tabbert 1, B. Schlechte 17, Smith 1, Everett 2, Probst 2, Rentfrow 2

Game Two

Neoga         14    12    16    4    --    46

Dieterich        4      0      2    0    --      6

Neoga -- Padgett 6, Ewing 14, Miah 2, Potter 6, Roy 16, Dryden 2

Dieterich -- Bannick 4, Aherin 2

Game Three

Brownstown         10    5    14    4    --    33

Sacred Heart           4    5      6    7    --    22

Brownstown -- Da. Shelton 9, Brown 14, De.  Shelton 2, Baron 6, Zasada 2

Sacred Heart -- Cordes 5, Webster 5, Mills 2, Shamhart 1, Webster 5, Carie 4