Columbus East High School

The Columbus East girls basketball team rang in the new year Saturday night inside the Orange Pit, welcoming a determined Shelbyville Golden Bear squad and battling through adversity before dropping a 55–43 decision. Columbus East faced an early challenge, struggling to find rhythm in the opening quarter and playing from behind much of the night. Despite the uphill climb, the Olympians never folded. After trailing by as many as 17 points midway through the third quarter, East responded with one of its best stretches of the game, tightening the defense and converting key possessions to spark a rally. That surge carried into the fourth quarter, where the Olympians twice trimmed the deficit to just five points, injecting energy into the gym and giving themselves a real chance late. East continued to compete on the glass and showed improved execution as the game wore on, but the comeback ultimately came up short. Ella Anthis and Brelyn Pool led the Olympians with 11 points apiece. Pool also made her presence felt on the boards, while Kenzie Cheek added 8 points. Krea Martin chipped in 7 points, Hayden Meek scored 4, and Emma Armstrong rounded out the scoring with 2 points. One of the positives on the night was Columbus East’s work on the boards, as the Olympians held an advantage in rebounding. Cleaning up turnovers and sharpening execution, especially early, will be key areas of growth moving forward, but the effort and resilience shown after halftime reflected a team continuing to play hard and develop as a team. The Olympians now turn their attention to Hoosier Hills Conference play, beginning a stretch of four straight league games. Columbus East will travel to Seymour High School on Thursday, January 8, with JV tipping off at 6 p.m. followed by the varsity contest. Good luck Olympians!