Columbus East High School

In an exciting Hoosier Hills Conference showdown at the Orange Pit on Friday night, the Olympians showcased their offensive potential against the Panthers of Jennings County. Despite their impressive performance, the Olympians fell short by a close margin of 70-64. The game began with the Olympians trailing by seven points after the first quarter. However, they rallied back with a flurry of successful 3-pointers, taking the lead 38-35 by halftime. The team's accuracy from beyond the arc has been exceptional in recent games, and this matchup was no exception, with the Olympians sinking a total of 11 3-pointers throughout the game. Both teams experienced momentum swings in the third and fourth quarters. The Olympians initially surged ahead 52-46 in the third quarter, but the Panthers responded with an 8-0 run, ending the quarter with a narrow lead of 54-52. In the final quarter, the Panthers extended their lead to 61-54, only for the Olympians to mount a remarkable 10-0 run, pulling ahead 64-61. However, a controversial fifth foul by Olympian Keaton Lawson shifted the momentum once again, allowing the Panthers to capitalize with a decisive 9-0 run to seal the victory. Despite the loss, the Olympians demonstrated significant improvement in their offensive game, with their scoring output notably increasing over the past few games. This positive trend bodes well as they approach tournament time. Looking ahead, the Olympians will conclude their regular season with a home game against the Madison Cubs on Friday, February 16th, followed by an away game against Floyd Central on February 21st. IHSAA Sectional play is set to begin the week of February 27th, with the State tournament pairings reveal scheduled for Sunday, February 18th on IHSAAtv.org. The Olympians will compete in Sectional #14 at East Central High School, with the following teams: East Central, Franklin Community, Whiteland, Shelbyville, Columbus North, and Columbus East. Game Statistics against Jennings County: Scoring by Quarter: - Columbus East High School (CEHS): 17, 21, 14, 12 - Jennings County High School (JCHS): 21, 14, 19, 16 Individual Player Stats: - Carter Patterson: 14 points - Alex Duncan: 4 points - Keaton Lawson: 2 points - Ethan Bumbalough: 2 points - Danny Coriden: 11 points - Jackson Fischvogt: 19 points - Anthony Cowan: 4 points - Mason Reeves: 8 points