Columbus East High School

A tough lesson came with a hard-fought night for the Columbus East freshman boys basketball team, as the Olympians dropped a 36–35 heartbreaker to the Franklin Community Grizzly Cubs on a last-second three-pointer Tuesday night. Columbus East came out sharp and confident, jumping to a 12–5 lead after one quarter behind six early points from Frank Phillips. The Olympians controlled the pace early and showed poise well beyond their years. That composure carried into halftime, with East clinging to an 18–16 advantage. The second half never gave either side breathing room. Possessions mattered, defenses tightened, and every basket felt earned. With just 5.6 seconds remaining, Gavin Wilcox calmly knocked down two free throws to put the Olympians in front 35–33, a moment that looked like it might seal a gritty road win. Franklin, however, had one final answer. The Grizzlies launched a desperation three from nearly 35 feet that found the bottom of the net as time expired, ending the game in stunning fashion and handing East a one-point loss. Wilcox led the Olympians with 11 points and strong work on the glass. Phillips added 8 points, followed by Tucker Day with 6. Luke Lienhoop and Parker Jones chipped in 4 points apiece, while Jayden Wilcox rounded out the scoring with 2. The loss stings, but the effort and execution shown by this young group speak volumes about where they’re headed. The freshman Olympians will look to respond quickly as they travel to Trinity Lutheran High School on Thursday, January 8, for a 6:00 p.m. matchup against the Cougars’ C team — their second meeting of the season.