Columbus East High School

The Orange Pit — The Columbus East Freshman boys basketball team delivered a spirited performance on Saturday at the Pete Huse Freshman Invitational, fighting until the final buzzer to finish as the tournament runner-up. Hosted at the Orange Pit, the invitational featured Hoosier Hills Conference (HHC) rivals Bedford North Lawrence, Jennings County, and New Albany. Game 1: Dominance Over Jennings County In the opening round, the Olympians faced off against Jennings County and wasted no time asserting control. East surged to a commanding 35-16 halftime advantage, fueled by a high-energy start from Frank Phillips, who poured in 16 of his game-high 19 points in the first half. Defensively, the "O's" were stifling, led by Parker Jones with 4 steals. Luke Lienhoop facilitated the offense effectively, dishing out 3 assists early on to keep the ball moving. The momentum continued into the second half, with Owen Hatfield providing sharp shooting from the perimeter to extend the lead. It was a true team effort, as Coach Damon Hunter emptied the bench. All 13 Olympians saw court time, and 10 different players found the scoring column. Final Score: Columbus East 57, Jennings County 32 Scoring vs. JC: Frank Phillips: 19 Owen Hatfield: 13 Parker Jones: 5 Gavin Wilcox: 4 Jayden Wilcox: 4 Dane Hoopingarner: 4 Luke Lienhoop: 2 Jakobi Noble: 2 Cooper Koons: 2 Asa Malanoski: 2 Championship: A Gritty Rematch vs. New Albany The championship game set the stage for a redemption match against New Albany. The Bulldogs, who were crowned the regular season HHC champions, had defeated East by 11 points just a week prior. Determined to flip the script, the Olympians controlled the action in the first half. Physical interior play from Gavin and Jayden Wilcox set the tone, while Frank Phillips continued his offensive tear with 12 first-half points. East went into the locker room holding a tight 21-19 lead. The battle remained fierce in the second half. East controlled the pace and held a 31-29 advantage heading into the final stanza. However, the game ultimately came down to the wire. Despite a tremendous defensive effort, untimely misses from the free-throw line proved costly for the young Olympians. In the final seconds, Jakobi Noble launched a potential game-tying three-pointer that narrowly missed, sealing a heartbreaking defeat. Final Score: New Albany 39, Columbus East 36 Scoring vs. New Albany: Frank Phillips: 15 Parker Jones: 7 Gavin Wilcox: 6 Jayden Wilcox: 3 Dane Hoopingarner: 3 Luke Lienhoop: 1 Owen Hatfield: 1 Coach's Take & What’s Next Despite the loss, Head Coach Damon Hunter expressed immense pride in his team's grit and their continued improvement throughout the season. The Olympians (11-7) will look to bounce back in their final home game of the season. Opponent: Center Grove When: Next Friday(2/20) at 6:00 PM Where: The Orange Pit