Columbus East High School

The Columbus East boys basketball team continued its impressive start to the season with a 64-50 non-conference victory over the Franklin Grizzly Cubs on Saturday night at Franklin High School. The win not only marks a perfect 5-0 start for the Olympians but also matches their best opening record since the 2006-07 season under then-coach Steve Brunes. The 2006-07 Olympians started the season with six straight wins. Coming off a grinding Hoosier Hills Conference win the night before, the Olympians avoided a letdown by starting strong in the first quarter. Four players contributed to the balanced scoring effort early on. Leading the charge was Keaton Lawson, who poured in 10 first-quarter points, while Carter Patterson added 9. Danny Coriden chipped in 7 points, including two three-pointers, and Mason Reeves rounded out the scoring with 4 points. The second quarter saw the Olympians cool off slightly, managing just 11 points, their lowest scoring quarter of the game. Meanwhile, Franklin tallied 14 points, their highest output of the night, to trim East’s lead to 30-27 at halftime. Columbus East came out of the break with renewed defensive intensity, holding the Grizzly Cubs to just 10 points in the third quarter. On the offensive end, Mason Reeves and Danny Coriden stepped up as Franklin adjusted to limit Lawson’s touches. Reeves drained three second-half three-pointers, two of which came in the third quarter, while Coriden added three long-range shots of his own, including a crucial trio of threes in the fourth quarter. The Olympians’ defensive pressure remained strong in the final frame, holding Franklin to just 14 points and sealing the 64-50 victory. Individual Scoring Highlights Keaton Lawson led all scorers with 24 points, including five two-pointers and an impressive 14-of-18 performance from the free-throw line, where many of his attempts came in the second half. Danny Coriden posted a season-high 16 points, sinking five three-pointers, with three coming in the fourth quarter, and going 1-of-2 at the free-throw line. Mason Reeves contributed 13 points, highlighted by three second-half three-pointers, one two-pointer, and a perfect 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. Carter Patterson rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points, connecting on four two-pointers and one three-pointer and scoring in three of the four quarters for the Olympians. Rivalry Week Ahead The Olympians look to keep their unbeaten streak intact as they prepare for a rivalry showdown against Columbus North. The much-anticipated matchup will take place on Friday, December 20th, at Memorial Gym, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Bulldogs enter the contest with a 4-1 record, their only loss coming against Class 3A #8 Silver Creek. North will also be looking to avenge two losses to East from last season, including a narrow one-point regular season defeat and an eight-point setback in sectional play. The stage is set for an electric atmosphere as the Olympians aim to extend their winning streak and solidify their strong start to the season.