12-30-15
BY JACK BULLOCK
VANDALIA - In a game that featured five tie scores and 19 lead changes, it was inevitable that the championship game of the 44th annual Vandalia Holiday Tournament would come down to a final play between Altamont and Pana.

As it turned out, Altamont and junior guard Ryan Armstrong got the final say on who would win the 44th annual Vandalia Holiday Tournament championship.

Armstrong had the ball in his possession in the final moments and the catalyst for the Indians club delivered the title game dagger.

As the clock ticked down with the game even at 75-all, Armstrong drove into the lane and his turnaround jumper with :02 found the bottom of the net to give his Indians a dramatic 77-75 victory.

In the history of this event, this was the first title game win for Altamont in its first title game appearance since 1979.

For head coach John Niebrugge, this win was of utmost importance as this program that he took over three seasons ago was in need of a signature victory.

Behind 29-points from Armstrong and some clutch play in this “see-saw” battle from his teammates, the Tribe secured the holiday tournament championship.

“There were some major runs tonight and both teams play that way so we knew it was going to be like this. It was going to come down to one shot and whoever had the ball last,” said Coach Niebrugge. “You dance with the one that you take to the prom, or something like that. It was a team effort and Brendan (Hosick) and Adam (Mayhaus) played well, but when it comes down to who I want in my foxhole to fight with, I want Ryan Armstrong.”

After the bucket by Armstrong, Pana had one final shot at tying the score or winning the contest with a 3-pointer.

However after a timeout, the Panthers' Adam Miller misfired on a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Miller led the Panthers (9-3 on the season, 4-1 in the VHT) with 20-points while Wade McMillen netted 15-points in the high scoring affair.

Coach Gary Bowker's Panthers were in search of their seventh title in the tournament's history, which would have broken a tie with the host Vandals for the most championships in the events' storied past.

“They (Altamont) had the last good possession. We had a chance and we got it in to Miller and got us a shot but it didn't go in. I'm super proud of the way we played. The kids battled. A lot of guys did a lot of good things tonight for both teams. This was a lot of fun to be a part of,” said Coach Bowker.

In a close as could be match up in which the largest lead was eight-points by Pana in the second quarter, the Indians took advantage of its ability to get to the foul line.

Coach Niebrugge's team shot 14 more free throws than the Panthers, and they converted 17-of-19 from the line.

Armstrong hit 11-of-11 himself while Pana was just 4-of-5.

This turned out to be a difference maker as the Panthers were better and nearly every other facet of the contest that was “helter skelter” at times.

The two clubs committed a combined 30-turnovers in the game with both teams preferring to play at an uptempo pace.

From the beginning, this game saw a lot of heroes emerge as the contest went back-and-forth.

Miller netted 10 of his points in the first quarter, hitting a pair of long range bombs in the process.

In fact he went on his own mini scoring spree, hitting three consecutive shots with the third one being a long 3-pointer from the right wing to give Pana a 16-10 lead.

The first quarter ended with the Panthers up 18-14.

Trailing 22-14 following a pair of early second quarter baskets by Pana's Jake McLeod and Nik Galvin, the Indians went on an 11-2 sprint.

Armstrong hit his second 3-point bomb in the contest while away from the ball Altamont's Sam Childerson was fouled by Miller.

Childerson converted the 1-and-1 opportunity for a five-point play.

Branden Hosick scored 19-points for Altamont on the night and he added a pair of free throws in the run.

By the time Childerson closed the scoring splurge with a transition score, the Indians had the lead 25-24 at the 5:21 mark of the second quarter.

Pana got points from Joe England and Rhett Zahradka to take back the lead while Evan Cornett and Klaiton Wolff added points for Altamont the remainder of the half.

Armstrong added nine-points to his slate in the second quarter and when Wolff hit 1-of-2 free throws in the final minute, the two teams headed to the break tied at 34-all.

It was Altamont's turn for a run in the third quarter as the Indians went on a 9-2 binge, with Hosick scoring twice.

His fast break lay in closed the run and forced Coach Bowker to use a timeout at 43-38 Tribe.

Hosick later followed up his own missed 3-point shot for a rebound stick back.

Trailing 45-40, Pana turned to Miller once again for another personal scoring spree.

Following a drive to the basket for the score, Miller added two more 3-point bombs on consecutive possessions and when McMillen added a rebound basket on a Miller 3-point attempt, Pana had a 50-45 advantage.

Adam Mayhaus added 12-points for the Indians and the 6-foot-3 senior tossed in a 3-pointer from the right corner.

When Wolff added a basket in the paint with :04 left, the game was even again at 52-apiece heading into the frantic fourth quarter.

Altamont landed the first big blow of the final frame with Hosick hitting back-to-back shots (a 3-pointer and a drive in the lane) and Armstrong adding a score for a 59-52 Indians lead.

Five of the lead changes in the contest occurred in the final eight minutes.

Pana's Zahradka scored eight of his 12-points in the fourth, including a pair of 3-pointers.

He and McMillen hit consecutive trifectas to get Pana back to within a point at 61-60.

Mayhaus and Hosick each made big shots in the last three minutes.

Mayhaus nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the circle and Hosick converted a conventional three-point play on a drive to the basket where the ball hung on the rim for a few seconds before falling throw.

His made free throw gave Altamont a 71-68 lead with 1:52 remaining.

Armstrong helped set up the dramatic final moments of the title tilt with a pair of free throws.

But England stepped up for an important drive to the basket for a three-point play while being fouled by Mayhaus with :13.7 left. It was Mayhaus' fifth foul and the game was now even at 75-75.

This set the stage for Armstrong clutch shot.

His 12-footer in the lane was nothing but net for the game-winner as the Indians were soon celebrating the VHT title game triumph.

“We needed to get over that hump to beat a bigger school in a big game situation. We had two overtime games and a four-point game with Patoka and this has been a good week,” added Coach Niebrugge.

Pana hit 32-of-70 shot attempts overall (45.7 percent) and half of its 3-point tries (7-of-14).

They held a commanding 35-24 rebounding edge however they committed 17-turnovers and failed to get to the foul line often enough to counteract the Indians parade to the stripe.

Altamont finished 27-of-68 overall (39.7 percent) and were just 6-of-23 from the 3-point line.

The Indians head into the new year with an 11-1 record and some confidence.

“This was two good teams and we were happy to be here but to get our first ever championship was icing on the cake,” said Coach Niebrugge. “Because of the 2A schools that play here and the atmosphere it is a good experience for us to play here and win. To beat a good team like Pana tops it off.”

Championship	1	2	3	4	-	F
Altamont	14	20	18	25	-	77
Pana	18	16	18	23	-	75

Third Place	1	2	3	4	-	F
Greenville	14	19	15	22	-	70
Patoka	10	12	16	25	-	63

Fifth Place	1	2	3	4	-	F
Effingham St. Anthony	12	10	16	14	-	52
Flora	07	08	17	08	-	40

Seventh Place	1	2	3	4	-	F
South Central	07	10	15	04	-	36
Vandalia	27	17	14	14	-	72

Ninth Place	1	2	3	4	-	F
Shelbyville	15	15	08	20	-	58
St. Elmo-Brownstown	08	02	16	17	-	53