Columbus East High School

The Orange Pit - Friday evening in the Orange Pit carried a deeper purpose than basketball as the Columbus East Olympians hosted the Southport Cardinals for a solemn and emotional Pink Night. Taking the court in pink uniforms to honor friends and family members who have battled or are currently fighting cancer, the Olympians turned the matchup into a meaningful community fundraiser. Through a silent auction, fan donations, and halftime games, the program raised money with every dollar of the proceeds benefiting the Indiana Women in Need Foundation, an organization dedicated to easing the emotional, physical, and financial burdens for Indiana breast cancer patients undergoing treatment. Once the ball went up, Columbus East matched the passion of the evening with an explosive start, surging ahead to a commanding 21-4 advantage early in the second quarter. Sophomore Bella Kintner set the tone offensively during the opening half, pouring in 14 of her career-high 15 points before the break while knocking down two 3-pointers. Alongside her, Lola Watkins provided steady scoring pressure, eventually finishing with 11 points on the strength of a 7-for-8 performance at the free-throw line. Despite the early cushion, ball-security troubles tested the Olympians' composure as the game wore on. After committing just two turnovers during their hot start, Columbus East gave the ball away 19 times over the remainder of the contest, allowing Southport to chip away at the deficit and narrow the gap to 42-40 with just 1:34 left on the clock. Refusing to let the special night slip away, the Olympians locked in during the final 80 seconds to close out a 51-43 victory—marking the first win of the season for Columbus East (1-3) and the first varsity coaching triumph for Doyle Crowe. London Cline powered the second-half push, scoring nine of her 11 points after halftime while hauling in 12 rebounds to secure a double-double alongside Kintner, who added 11 boards of her own. Hayden Meek also reached double figures with 10 points and seven rebounds, spearheading a dominant 47-34 rebounding advantage for East. Krea Martin and Bailey Rohde rounded out the Olympians' scoring with two points apiece as Columbus East held firm down the stretch to celebrate a hard-earned win for a great cause. The Olympians also picked up a JV win over the Cardinals, 50 - 28. Scoring for the JV squad: Madison Gourley - 16 points Delaney Crider - 11 points Mia Petro - 8 points Georgia Watkins: 5 points London Kareus: 4 points Madelyn Tapp - 3 points Alivia Kellums - 2 points Renata Montoya-Gonzalez - 1 point