Columbus East High School

The Columbus East Olympian boys basketball teams welcomed the Shelbyville Golden Bears to the Orange Pit on Tuesday night, with mixed results for the hosts. The JV Olympians delivered a strong, balanced performance to earn a 50–37 victory, while the varsity squad ran into a tough Shelbyville team and fell 69–47. In the varsity contest, Shelbyville set the tone early and maintained control throughout, forcing the Olympians to play catch-up. Despite the outcome, Columbus East found a steady offensive presence in Keaton Lawson, who led all Olympians with 22 points and consistently attacked the basket. Graham Preizer followed with 9 points, while Carson Gallion added 7. Ben Ellegood contributed 4 points, Tony Cowan chipped in 3, and Josiah Kiel rounded out the scoring with 2 points. The final score didn’t reflect the effort, but there were clear individual bright spots as East continues to work through the season. Earlier in the evening, the JV Olympians set a positive tone with a convincing win. Columbus East showcased depth and unselfish play, pulling away as the game progressed. Miles Broaddus led all scorers with 14 points, while Jacob Thomas and Connor Rodarte each added 9. Jax Branaman finished with 7 points, Ridge Koester scored 5, Kam Robertson tallied 4, and Zane Williams added 2 to cap off a complete team effort. The Olympians won’t have much time to slow down, as another back-to-back weekend awaits—both games coming at home. Columbus East will host Bloomington South on Friday, January 16, before welcoming HHC opponent Seymour to the Orange Pit on Saturday, January 17. JV tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. both nights, with varsity action to follow.