Altamont Advances To NTC Title Game, S. Central, WSS Advance

ALTAMONT -- The seeds stayed true during Thursday evening action at the 87th Annual National Trail Conference Boys Basketball Tournament Thursday evening.

Two games were contested in the consolation bracket and top-seeded Altamont advanced into the championship game.

In the opener, South Central, seeded seventh, downed ninth-seeded Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City, 60-42.

Aidan Dodson got the Cougars rolling in the opening quarter. He connected on two three-pointers and three regular baskets along with a free throw for 13 of his team's 20 opening quarter points as South Central moved into a 20-7 opening lead.

Dodson put in five more points in the second quarter while Max Magnus also connected for five and the Cougars held a 36-18 halftime lead.

CHBC's AJ Radloff scored eight of his team's 11 second period points.

South Central had a 20-13 third quarter before the Bobcats had a 13-4 final period run as Clayton Wojcik tallied eight points.

Dodson finished with 23 for South Central on seven field goals, that included two three-pointers, and was five of seven at the line. Anthony Buonaura also finished in double figures with 13. the Cougars advance to tonight's contest against St. ElmoBrownstown at 6:15 p.m. for the right to play for the consolation championship.

Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City was led by Radloff with 14 and Wojcik with 12.

Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, seeded fourth, handed eighth-seeded Neoga a 53-39 loss.

Although the Indians moved into an 11-10 opening quarter lead behind Quintin Richards' eight points and a three-pointer by Brady Reynolds.

Windsor/Stew-Stras came back with a 22-10 second quarter run to pull ahead 32-21 at halftime. Austin Wittenberg scored 11 points in the quarter on two threes, two regular baskets and a free throw.

Richards continued to keep the Indians close with six points in the quarter.

The Hatchets had a 9-8 third quarter run then had a slight 12-11 final period.

A. Wittenberg led the way for the winners with 22 points on seven field goals, two of those three-pointers, and six of seven at the line. Also in double figures was Dylan Curry with 12.

Neoga was led by Richards with 18 and Brady Reynolds with 10.

Windsor/Stew-Stras advances to the consolation championship contest Saturday at 1 p.m. Neoga drops into the seventh place game at 11:30 a.m.

In the final game of the evening, defending champion Altamont had a big-scoring opening quarter then had to hold off Dieterich in the second half for a 59-48 victory.

Dillan Elam knocked in three trifectas in the opening quarter for the Indians while Eric Kollmann hit four baskets for eight. The Indians ripped out to a 22-5 lead.

Both teams scored 10 points in the second period and Altamont held a 32-15 halftime lead.

The Movin' Maroons then got on track with a 22-9 third period to make things interesting. Caleb Gephart scored seven points while Kolton Kidd hit a three-pointer and Lucas Westendorf tallied five and Dieterich stood within five points of the Indians.

But Altamont finished with an 18-11 final period, nine of those points coming from the free throw line. Avery Jahraus hit a three-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play with a basket and a free throw for six. Eli Miller was four of four at the line.

Three players scored in double figures. Elam finished with 13 while Av. Jahraus added 12 and Kollmann 11.

Three players also finished in double figures for Dieterich. Gephart led the way with 15 while Westendorf added 12 and Kidd 10.

Altamont advances to the championship game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and will play either North Clay or St. Anthony. Those two teams play tonight at 7:30.

National Trail Conference Tournament

Game Six

CHBC (42)

Bain 1-0 -- 3, Wojcik 5-0 -- 12, Underwood 0-0 -- 0, Evans 0-0 -- 0, Robbins 1-0 -- 2, Calame 1-1 -- 4, Thies 0-0 -- 0, Lorton 1-3 -- 5, Davis 1-0 -- 2, Pope 0-0 -- 0, Radloff 6-2 -- 14, Lamb 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 16 FG, 7 FT.

SOUTH CENTRAL (60)

Anderson 1-0 -- 2, Watwood 1-0 -- 3, Dodson 7-5 -- 23, Markley 2-0 -- 4, Magnus 2-1 -- 6, Buonaura 6-1 -- 13, C. Smith 1-2 -- 5, Robb 0-0 -- 0, Clark 0-0 -- 0, Jones 0-1 -- 1, Bergmann 0-1 -- 1, J. Smith 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 22 FG, 11 FT.

CHBC                              7    11    11    13    --    42

South Central              20    16    20      4    --    60

3-point FG -- Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 3 (Wojcik 2, Calame 1), South Central 5 (Dodson 2, Watwood 1, Magnus 1, C. Smith 1).

Game Seven

NEOGA (39)

Titus 0-0 -- 0, Reynolds 2-5 -- 10, Letterle 0-0 -- 0, Sheehan 1-4 -- 6, Richards 6-6 -- 18, Will 1-0 -- 2, Hennesay 1-0 -- 3, Helmuth 0-0 -- 0, Koester 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 11 FG, 15 FT.

WSS (53)

Bridges 0-2 -- 2, Rincker 0-0 -- 0, A. Wittenberg 7-6 -- 22, Chaney 1-2 -- 5, Gurgel 0-0 -- 0, Gracey 0-1 -- 1, Curry 6-0 -- 12, J. Wittenberg 2-5 -- 9, Dispennett 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 17 FG, 16 FT

Neoga                11    10    7    11    --    39

WSS                   10    22    9    12    --    53

3-point FG -- Neoga 2 (Reynolds 1, Hennesay 1), Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 3 (A. Wittenberg 2, Chaney 1).

Game Eight

DIETERICH (48)

Niebrugge 0-0 -- 0, Funneman 4-0 -- 8, Iffert 0-0 -- 0, C. Will 0-0 --0, T. Will 1-1 -- 3, Westendorf 4-3 -- 12, Hall 0-0 -- 0, Gephart 6-2 -- 15, Holste 0-0 -- 0, Kidd 4-0 -- 10. TOTALS 19 FG, 6 FT.

ALTAMONT (59)

Hammer 3-0 -- 6, Miller 1-4 -- 6, Elam 4-2 -- 13, Av. Jahraus 4-1 -- 12, McManaway 0-0 -- 0, Cornett 1-0 -- 2, Eirhart 0-1 -- 1, Kollmann 5-1 -- 11, Miller 3-2 -- 8. TOTALS 21 FG, 11 FT.

Dieterich                 5    10    22    11    --    48

Altamont               22    10     9    18    --    59

3-point FG -- Dieterich 4 (Kidd 2, Westendorf 1, Gephart 1), Altamont 6 (Elam 3, Av. Jahraus 3).