SCHULENBURG — The Columbus boy’s basketball team faced off against Randolph High School Feb. 22 at Schulenburg High School in Schulenburg and won by a final score of 83-71.
Columbus started out with a big lead, but Randolph was able to keep it a game throughout the majority of the match until Columbus’ offense seemed to be too much and eventually took over the game down the stretch.
“The second period has always ben our achilles heel,” said Columbus head boy’s basketball coach Troy Bohac. “The boys always respond an everything like that. They know how to make adjustments. Sometimes it takes a little talking and they get right back into it.”
Cardinals senior guard Grayson Rigdon had an enor- mous game with 58 total points, scoring in every which way possible.
“Just my teammates putting me in good position to score,” Rigdon said on his performance. “We prepared very well coming into this game, so it left a lot of open shots.”
Columbus took a huge lead to start the first quarter and made it 16-2 after a three in the corner from Rigdon and two free throws from sophomore Braylon Fisher. Randolph gained their composure back and produced some offense to go along with back-to- back three pointers in the final minute to make it 26-20 in favor of Columbus at the end of the first quarter.
The Ro-hawks hit two threes in row once again about midway through the second quarter to put the score at 32-20, then Columbus responded with an and one basket and a fast-break layup from Rigdon to surge ahead 37-31 at halftime.
Columbus gained even more of an advantage in the third quarter after two free throws from Rigdon made it 52-39 with 3:30 to go. Rigdon went on to add a a pull up three and two free throws in the final minute and a half to give his team a 63-51 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Ro-hawks had a big fourth quarter and didn’t back down as they made three baskets in a row in the final three min utes, two of them being three pointers to make it 76-71 in favor of the Cardinals with 1:43 to go in the ball game.
Columbus answered with three baskets in a row of their own with two of them being a layup from junior Brody Tribe and an and one layup from Rigdon with 11 seconds to play to ultimately seal the game at 83-71.
