The Altamont Lady Indians are blazing their own path in girls basketball program history, adding another big stop on the way after battling to a 39-29 win over Salt Fork in the Central A & M 1A Sectional Championship game on Thursday night. The Sectional Championship is just the second in Altamont girls basketball program history and it comes 43 years after the first Sectional Championship title back in 1981. The game was a pure defensive battle for the entirety of the first half. Salt Fork would score first and Altamont would hit their first with just about five minutes left in the first quarter to tie it up at 2-2. After Salt Fork would go up 4-2, Altamont tied it up at 4-4 shortly before the end of the quarter. The second quarter would be more of the same low scoring, back and forth fight. After the Storm went up 6-4, a 4-0 run by the Indians put them ahead for the first time 8-6. Kylie Osteen would hit from the right baseline and a Grace Nelson steal and score would then give the Indians a 12-10 lead at halftime.
Much like the first half, Salt Fork scored first but this time Altamont responded with buckets from Nelson and K. Osteen again to go up 16-12. The Storm went on a 5-0 run, including a big three to retake the lead 17-16, but Altamont would take that lead back with a Skylie Klein dagger three-pointer from the right corner and after a defensive stop, a free throw from Nelson would have the Indians up 20-17 and they would lead 22-19 heading into the fourth quarter. After another Salt Fork three to tie the game up at 22-22, the Lady Indians began to roll. After a made baseline jumper and free throw from Nelson put Altamont up 25-22, Kaylee Lurkins would fight through two defenders to hit a short bunny from the right block and on the next possession, she got the putback basket and that four point swing to extend the Altamont lead to 29-22 and send the Indian faithful into a frenzy. The Indians got another defensive stop and Nelson grabbed the rebound and went coast to coast and hit the basket off the Euro step for a 31-22 Indians lead. Salt Fork would hit back for a basket and ensuing free throw and then get another basket off of an Altamont turnover to cut the lead to 31-27. The Indians would then see Nelson and Peyton Osteen combine for eight made free throws to put Altamont ahead 39-27 with 45 seconds left before a Salt Fork basket capped the night’s scoring and Altamont rode out the remaining seconds for the 39-29 win. The historic win moves the Lady Indians to 26-6 on the season and they are one of just eight remaining teams alive in the 1A postseason. Next up for the Lady Indians will be a long road trip for the Super-Sectionals where they will match up against Cissna Park (27-7) in the Farmer City (Blue Ridge) Super-Sectional on Monday at 7:00pm.
Altamont Scoring:
Grace Nelson – 24 points
Kylie Osteen – 6 points
Kaylee Lurkins – 4 points
Skylie Klein – 3 points
Peyton Osteen – 2 points
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