44th Annual Vandalia Holiday Tournament

Over 15 lead changes, 157 points and a last-second shot to win the game made the 44th Vandalia Holiday Tournament championship between Pana and Altamont one that most will not soon forget.
Not surprisingly at all, the team with the ball last was the team to come away with the championship, Altamont.
Altamont junior Ryan Armstrong had led his team all tournament, making the decision to give him the ball with the game on the line late the only logical decision. And he delivered. With the game tied and 13 seconds left Armstrong drove down the court and knocked down a turn-around jumper with one second left on the clock.
A failed half-court heave from Pana’s Adam Miller sealed the win for the Indians.  
“Not a lot (going through my head), just win the game,” Armstrong said. “I worked all summer to make sure these are the types of situations I can get it done.”
Altamont head coach John Niebrugge commented on the decision to give Armstrong the ball for the final possession.
“We’re going to go with the guy that got us here.  I want the ball in his hands; he’s going to make a good decision,” Niebrugge said. “Whatever ends up happening out of that, he is usually going to put the ball where we need it. Big-time players make big time plays.”
The win marked the first Vandalia Holiday Tournament championship for the Indians.
“It’s big (winning the Vandalia tournament). We have a lot of basketball history at Altamont and to be the first one’s ever, it’s awesome,” Armstrong said.
Coach Niebrugge shared similar sentiments.
“It’s big. Altamont being 20 minutes away. First time winning, second time in the championship. In my fourth year here, we are striving to just get that feel of a championship,” Niebrugge said. “We got a ball club that plays with anybody. For Altamont, I couldn’t be more proud of these boys and how they represented that town. To win it here, they got some pride to come back here with.”
Both teams came into the championship with undefeated records in pool play, as Altamont held off St. Anthony in overtime the night before to advance to the championship game.
Pana followed a similar path, holding on for a 50-46 win over St. Elmo/Brownstown in their final game of pool play.
However, that was not the only similarity between the two teams. Both showcased a similar fast-paced transition-based offense that accounted for 18 lead changes and a handful of runs from both teams.
“We knew it was going to be a game of runs. Both teams like to get up and down, both shoot it really well,” Niebrugge said. “It literally came down to who had the ball last.”
The game began similar to how it ended. Both teams came out of the gate ready to run. Armstrong opened up the game with a three-pointer from the baseline.
Pana’s Adam Miller knocked down a baseline three of his own to give the Panthers a 7-5 lead, their first of the game. A few more lead changes were followed by a 7-4 run by the Panthers to close out the first quarter with an 18-14 lead.
The pace only picked up from there. Pana opened the second with a pair of baskets in transition to extend its lead to eight. But, the Indians countered with an 11-2 run, taking a 25-24 lead, thanks to a transition layup from junior Sam Childerson.
Neither team was able to pull away, as a last-minute free throw from Altamont’s Klaiton Wolff tied the game at 34 heading into halftime, something coach Niebrugge was more than happy to take.
“We were really pleased with it being tied at halftime,” Niebrugge said. “I had us down for 30 percent at half and we had them at 50 percent.”
The Indians gained some momentum late in the third from a Branden Hosick putback, giving them a 45-40 lead five minutes into the third.
That momentum wouldn’t last long, as Pana made a 10-0 run in a little over a minute to gain a five-point advantage.  Altamont battled back to tie the game at 50 heading into the final quarter.
The back-and-forth action continued all the way up until the final minute. Armstrong converted on a three-point play with a minute left to take a four-point lead.
Pana’s Rhett Zahradka cut the lead to one with a corner three, but Armstrong answered again with a pair of foul shots to bring the lead to three with 18 seconds left.
Pana attempted one last push, as Altamont made what could have been a crucial mistake. With Altamont’s coach instructing his team not to foul Pana on the ensuing possession, they did just that. Panther junior Joe England drew the contact as he drove to the hoop for a layup. A successful and-one tied the game with 13 seconds to play.
Armstrong delivered from there, putting an end to what was a chaotic game and giving his Indians the hard-fought victory.
“We knew we would hit shots. We have all tournament. We never panicked,” Niebrugge said. “The way we play offense and the same way Pana does, you’re going to get shots; you just got to get stops. It literally came down to who had the ball last.”

Altamont 77, Pana 75
AL   14   20   18   25  — 77
PN   18   16   18   23 — 75
AL: Ryan Armstrong 8 11-11 29, Branden Hosick 7 3-3 19, Adam Mayhaus 5 0-1 12, Klaiton Wolff 4 1-2 9, Sam Childerson 2 2-2 6, Evan Cornett 1 0-0 2. Totals: 27 (6) 17-19 77. Three-pointers: Armstrong 2, Mayhaus 2, Hosick 2. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: Mayhaus

PA: Adam Miller 8 0-0 20, Wade McMillen 6 2-2 15, Rhett Zahradka 5 0-0 12, Nik Galvin 4 0-0 8, Joe England 3 1-1 7, Kyle Lynch 2 1-2 5, Brock DeWerff 2 0-0 4, Jake McLeod 1 0-0 2, Michael Hrabak 1 0-0 2. Totals: 32 (7) 4-5 75. Three-pointers: Miller 4, Zahradka 2, W. McMillen. Fouls: 20

The Altamont boys basketball team and cheerleading squad pose with the first-place trophy last Wednesday night.

Altamont’s Ryan Armstrong fires off a step-back jumper over Pana’s Rhett Zahradka (33).

Pana’s Kyle Lynch puts up a layup over an Altamont defender in the first half Wednesday night.

The Pana Panthers pose after finishing second at the 2015 Vandalia Holiday Tournament.