Carter Patterson
Columbus East boys basketball coach Perry Nash has a stat he calls the “Kill stat,” where the Olympians try to get three defensive stops in a row.
Saturday night, the Olympians couldn’t get three consecutive stops in the first quarter, but after that, they managed a few. On the other end of the floor, the East offense was clicking, and it led to a 72-55 win against Southwestern (Hanover).
“When we get three stops in a row, that’s when we open up leads. In the first quarter, we got two a couple of times, but we never got three,” Nash said. “In that second quarter, we put three stops in a row two times together, and then the third, we got a couple more of those, and for us, that’s when were at our best — when we can put together three stops in a row — because that gets us going in transition and makes us pretty tough.”
The Olympians (1-1) led only 18-17 after one quarter before opening the second on a 19-7 run to open a 37-24 lead. They led 42-29 at the break, then erased any doubt by opening the third quarter on a 16-2 spurt to take a 58-31 lead.
East enjoyed its biggest lead at 72-40 before Nash removed his starters and the Rebels (2-1) scored the game’s final 15 points.
“I think we played really well,” said Carter Patterson, who led the Olympians with 20 points and nine rebounds. “Our defense was good. We got tons of stops in a row, which really helps our energy and helps us get going. I’m proud of all our team tonight. Young guys got in the game, so they can continue on after me and Keaton (Lawson) are out of here, and that’s what matters the most, getting guys experience.”
Graham Preizer
Graham Preizer hit five three pointers and scored a career-high 17 points. Lawson finished with 15 points, and Judah Lewis added nine points and seven rebounds.
“I have great teammates always getting me open,” Preizer said. “None of it is me. I’m always moving off the ball, and it’s always teammates finding me open. I’m just blessed to have the opportunity to play on this team.”
Lawson, who finished one assist short of a triple-double in a one-point season-opening loss at Whiteland, was double-teamed for much of the night by Southwestern.
“If you’re going to put two kids on Keaton, that’s fine, because he’s going to sit out there, and he has deep range,” Nash said. “He’s going to knock it down.”
Columbus East 72, Southwestern (Hanover) 55
Southwestern;17;12;9;17;—;55
Columbus East;18;24;18;12;—;72
Southwestern (2-1): Quinton Lewis 3 0-0 9, Andrew Nussbaum 3 1-1 8, Brady Cook 3 8-10 15, Jeter Chatham 5 3-3 14, Luke Morrow 0 0-0 0, Caleb Goode 3 3-5 9, Turner Trapp 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 15-27 55.
Columbus East (1-1): Anthony Cowan 1 2-2 5, Graham Preizer 6 0-0 17, Judah Lewis 3 1-1 9, Keaton Lawson 7 1-2 15, Carson Gallion 0 0-0 0, Ben Ellegood 2 0-0 4, Logan Neal 0- 0-0 0, Carter Patterson 8 3-6 20, Josiah Kiel 1 0-0 2, Cadyn Goodlow 1 0-0 2, Carson Siegelin 0 0-0 0. Totals: 28 7-11 72.
3-point goals: Southwestern 6 (Lewis 3, Nussbaum, Cook, Chatham). Columbus East 9 (Preizer 5, Lewis 2, Cowan, Patterson).
