Jack Fischvogt
Columbus East built double-digit leads twice Monday night, only to see Madison come roaring back.
The Olympians finally put the game away in the closing seconds to fend off a challenge for the Cubs and claim a 66-60 boys basketball victory on senior night at the Orange Pit.
“I hate to say it, but we’re not in those situations much this year,” East coach Perry Nash said. “We don’t necessarily know how to play with a lead. We’re learning that stuff.”
The Olympians (6-15) enjoyed their biggest lead at 59-48 with 4:20 left in the game and still led 59-50 with 2:25 remaining. But Madison (6-16) hit two 3-pointers and a basket to cut the lead to one point with 1:35 remaining.
East created some breathing room when Keaton Lawson converted a three-point play with 1:24 left. The Cubs hit a pair of free throws to cut it to two with 34 seconds remaining, but then Carter Patterson scored on an inbounds play to make it a two-possession game with 18 seconds left, and Lawson sealed it with a pair of free throws with 6 seconds remaining.
“We just had to get guys together and get everybody on the same page and just know what the goal is,” senior Jack Fischvogt said.
Fischvogt scored a career-high 20 points to lead the Olympians in the final home game of his career.
“It’s sweet,” Fischvogt said. “It’s your last time in here, so you just have to cherish it and go out and play as hard as you can. It’s a little emotional. You just have to have fun with the guys, and I’m glad we came out with the win.”
Lawson finished with 15 points, while Mason Reeves scored 13 and Patterson added 12 for East. Reeves and Lawson each grabbed six rebounds to lead the Olympians to a 28-19 advantage on the boards.
East’s other two seniors, Elum VanEst and Kadin Lobdell, joined Fischvogt in the starting lineup on Monday.
“Those three guys are awesome,” Nash said. “We know what Jack brings. You see Jack tonight, and he had a day out on that floor. You look at Lobdell, and you look at Elum, and you might see 22 games on the floor, but what you don’t see is the 60-70 practices that they’re here, the 60-to-70 times they’re encouraging their teammates, the 60-to-70 times every single time they’re helping our young guys learn this game. You can’t have a program without the strength of seniors, and I could have not have asked for three better seniors than what we have.”
The first half featured 10 lead changes. The lead changed hands twice more in the opening half-minute of the third quarter before the Olympians went on a 16-4 run to take control.
“It’s our defense,” Nash said. “I thought early, we weren’t locked in defensively. We were kind of distracted. But we started to lock in defensively, and when we lock in defensively, I think we’re a pretty good team.”
East closes the regular season Wednesday at Floyd Central, then will play Columbus North on Tuesday in the opening round of the East Central Sectional.
“I think that’s huge,” Nash said. “We’re trying to get a little run here. I think we’re playing really well at the right time, and that’s the goal, so hopefully, we get another one come Wednesday. We’re going to celebrate this one for a short time, and they we have to get ready because we have a quick turnaround on Wednesday and then a quick turnaround for our rival.”
“I’m real excited,” Fischvogt added. “We just have to be ready to go, get guys together and go out and just go out and win it.”
Columbus East 66, Madison 60
Madison;17;13;13;17;—;60
Columbus East;18;13;18;17;—;66
Madison (6-16): Logan Jester 2 0-0 4, Mason Davis 4 2-2 12, Landon True 3 6-7 13, Elliott Kozenski 0 0-0 0, Quincy Reynolds 1 4-6 6, Damon Harden 0 0-0 0, Ryder Jones 2 0-0 4, Oscar Gonzalez 7 2-3 17, Gunner Jones 2 0-0 4. Totals: 21 14-18 60.
Columbus East (6-15): Mason Reeves 5 2-2 13, Anthony Cowan 0 0-0 0, Elum VanEst 0 0-0 0, Jack Fischvogt 7 4-4 20, Daniel Coriden 2 0-0 4, Ethan Bumbalough 1 0-0 2, Kadin Lobdell 0 0-0 0, Keaton Lawson 5 5-5 15, Alex Duncan 0 0-0 0, Carter Patterson 5 2-2 12. Totals: 25 13-13 66.
3-point goals: Madison 4 (Davis 2, True, Gonzalez); Columbus East 3 (Fischvogt 2, Reeves).
