Columbus East High School

The Orange Pit — It was a night of contrasting fortunes at the Orange Pit as the Columbus East basketball program hosted the Mooresville Pioneers. While the Junior Varsity squad secured a commanding victory, the Varsity Olympians saw a late lead slip away in the final minutes of a 66-60 defeat. Varsity: Late Rally Spoils Patterson’s Return For the majority of the contest, Columbus East appeared poised to secure a victory against the Pioneers. The Olympians matched Mooresville early, ending the first quarter tied at 13-13. East found their rhythm in the second quarter, surging ahead to take a 35-28 lead into halftime. They maintained a slim advantage heading into the final frame, leading 43-41. However, the momentum shifted decisively in the final four minutes of regulation. With the game deadlocked at 52-52, the Pioneers found their range from beyond the arc, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to take control. Despite East's efforts to extend the game, Mooresville sealed the outcome at the free-throw line, hitting 8-of-8 attempts down the stretch to outscore the Olympians 25-17 in the fourth quarter. The game marked the return of senior Carter Patterson, who had missed a month of action due to an elbow injury. Patterson made his presence felt immediately, contributing 12 points to the effort. Varsity Scoring Breakdown: Keaton Lawson paced the Olympians with a team-high 19 points. Judah Lewis provided strong offensive support with 13 points, followed by Patterson’s 12. Miles Broaddus and Logan Neal added 5 points apiece, while Ben Ellegood chipped in 4 points. Graham Preizer rounded out the scoring with 2 points. Quarter Scores: Mooresville: 13 | 28 | 41 | 66 Columbus East: 13 | 35 | 43 | 60 JV: Olympians Cruise to 27-Point Victory In the early game, the Columbus East Junior Varsity team delivered a dominant performance, dismantling the visiting Pioneers 66-39. The JV squad showcased a balanced and explosive offense, with three players scoring in double figures. Connor Rodarte led the charge with a game-high 17 points. Jacob Thomas followed closely with a solid 13 points, and Ridge Koester added 11. The depth of the JV roster was on full display, with Kam Robertson scoring 8, Jax Branaman and Chester Lonicker each adding 6, and Josiah Shelton contributing 5 points. Up Next: Senior Night The Olympians will look to bounce back and celebrate their graduating class this Friday, February 13th, when they host Hoosier Hills Conference rival Jennings County. The evening will begin with the JV tip-off at 6 p.m. Following the JV contest, Columbus East will hold a Senior Night ceremony to honor the senior basketball players and cheerleaders before the Varsity squad takes the court against the Panthers.