Columbus East High School

The Columbus East girls basketball team opened its season Tuesday night inside the Orange Pit and nearly pulled off a comeback that would have erased three quarters of frustration. After trailing by as many as 22 in the first half, the Olympians stormed back in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to four before time finally ran out in a 54-50 loss to Purdue Polytechnic Englewood. The first half belonged to the Techies, who turned defensive pressure into transition points and led 37-18 at the break. Columbus East struggled to get into its offensive rhythm early, committing turnovers that turned into quick baskets the other way. But the second half was a different story. East tightened its half-court defense, forced Purdue Poly into rushed decisions, and began chipping away at the lead. The Olympians outscored the visitors 32-17 after halftime, including a 17-point fourth quarter that brought the Orange Pit alive. Freshman Hayden Meek provided a spark in her varsity debut with nine points and eight rebounds, helping East control the boards 37-30. Senior Ella Anthis led all scorers with 15 points, 13 of which came after halftime as the offense finally started to flow. Senior Brelyn Pool added five points and Frosh Allison Halstead added five point in her debut. East pulled within 52-46 with under four minutes remaining and continued to generate stops, but several late chances to make it a one-possession game wouldn’t fall. Purdue Poly managed just four points in the fourth quarter but held on long enough to secure the win. Despite the loss, the Olympians showed defensive toughness and rebounding advantage that will translate well once the offense settles in. Cleaning up early turnovers will be a major focus heading into Game 2. TEAM SCORING BY QUARTER Team 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q Final Purdue Poly Englewood 19 18 13 4 54 Columbus East 9 9 15 17 50 COLUMBUS EAST SCORING Player Points Kenzie Cheek 4 Ella Anthis 15 Hayden Meek 9 Brelyn Pool 5 Allison Halstead 5 Lola Watkins 4 Bailey Rhode 4 Averie Graham 4 KEY TEAM STATS Rebounds: East 37, Purdue Poly 30 Turnovers forced (2nd half): 13 Fourth-quarter run: 13-0 stretch to cut 19-point deficit to six NEXT UP: Columbus East returns to action on Saturday, November 8th as they hit the road to face a IHSAA Sectional opponent, the Whiteland Warriors. The O's are looking to turn the energy of Tuesday’s finish into a full four-quarter performance. Good luck O's!