Columbus East High School

The Columbus East Olympians boys basketball team narrowly escaped with a 61-60 victory over the Yorktown Tigers in the JCBANK Holiday Tournament at Greenwood High School this Saturday afternoon. This exciting win came after the Olympians, who started the season 5-0, suffered their first loss on December 20th. Fans were eager to see how the team would respond to early-season adversity, and they delivered with a gritty performance. After a slow start that saw the Olympians trailing 19-14 after the first quarter, they struggled to find consistency. Keaton Lawson was a bright spot early, scoring 10 of the team’s 14 points in the opening period. However, the second quarter proved even tougher as Yorktown adjusted defensively to Lawson, limiting him to just one point. Mason Reeves and Carter Patterson stepped up with four points each, keeping Columbus East within striking distance, though they trailed 33-27 at halftime. The third quarter was a turning point. The Tigers came out strong, building a 13-point lead against the Olympians. But this year’s team showed resilience, refusing to fold. Fueled by hot shooting from Carter Patterson, who scored nine points in the quarter, and Keaton Lawson, who added eight, the Olympians erupted for 24 points in the third frame to tie the game at 51-51 heading into the final quarter. The fourth quarter turned into a defensive battle, with both teams locking down on each other. The Olympians held the Tigers to just nine points, while Yorktown limited Columbus East to 10 points. That single-point margin proved to be the difference. Mason Reeves provided a crucial basket, and Jayden Thompson, the super-sub, delivered five key points, including a clutch three-pointer. Lawson added another vital three-point shot to ice the game for the Olympians. Individual Game Stats: Keaton Lawson: Led all Olympian scorers with 22 points (4-2pts, 2-3pts, 7-8 free throws). Carter Patterson: Scored 13 points (4-2pts, 1-3pts, 2-3 free throws). Mason Reeves: Tallied 10 points (5-2pts). Ethan Bumbalough: Added 7 points (2-2pts, 1-3pts). Jayden Thompson: Contributed 5 points (1-3pts, 2-2 free throws). Alex Duncan: Scored 4 points (2-2pts). With the thrilling win, the Olympians advance to the championship game of the JCBANK Holiday Tournament, where they will face the host team, the Greenwood Woodmen, in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off at Greenwood High School. Best of luck to the Olympians in the championship showdown!