INDIANAPOLIS — Even being short-handed on Tuesday night, the Columbus East girls basketball team withstood every test that Southport threw at it.
Behind strong performances from Koryn Greiwe and Claire Cunningham, the Olympians picked up a 63-49 road victory for their second win in as many days.
Freshman Albany Speer got the start in place of Whitley Rankin. Rankin played in the opening minutes of Monday’s win at New Albany, but sat out as a precaution Tuesday while recovering from a head injury suffered Saturday against Madison.
Speer made the most of her opportunity by hitting three 3-pointers and two free throws for 11 points.
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“Somebody had to step up tonight, and that person ended up being Albany,” East coach Danny Brown said. “She knocked down some big shots for us and played pretty good defense.”
The Cardinals (5-16) had an early 8-6 lead until Greiwe hit a 3 to put the Olympians (10-11) ahead 9-8, and East never surrendered the lead again. The Olympians built the lead to 11-8 following a basket from Katie Dougherty, and then Southport’s Lexie Green hit a 3-pointer to tie the game. Dougherty answered back with a 3-pointer to give East a 14-13 lead.
Cunningham, who went scoreless in the first quarter, got involved offensively with Greiwe. The duo scored all 14 of the second quarter points for the Olympians for a 28-25 lead at halftime.
The Cardinals were knocking on the door to start the third quarter but Speer hit a couple 3s to keep East in the lead at 36-31. After an Olympians turnover led to a Southport basket, Dougherty hit her second 3 of the game to make it 39-33. After the Cardinals converted a basket, East scored the final seven points of the third to extend the lead to 46-35.
The Olympians lead 50-41 a couple of minutes into the fourth quarter until Speer hit her third triple of the game to make it 53-41. East hit its free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
“Albany Speer was hitting from the outside, and so did everyone else,” Cunningham said. “When (Southport) went to help out on me, I can kick it back out, and one of my teammates can hit it, or they get give it to me and then I can make it. We really spread them out defensively, and we really wore them down in the second half.”
Cunningham and Greiwe finished with a game-high 18 points apiece. Dougherty added 14, and Speer ahad 11.
“Once we got Claire established down low, she did a great job and had a fantastic game. Koryn did too, and I know she’s upset that wasn’t perfect from the (free-throw) line, but she did a good job,” Brown said. “You come to Southport, and you beat them with two starting freshman guards, that’s not bad.
