Basketball Recap: East Columbus Falls Despite Big Games from KJ Thurman and Jaden Troy

East Columbus lost against Pender last Monday and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Tuesday. The East Columbus Gators took a 57-52 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Pender Patriots. The Gators were up 46-32 in the third quarter but couldn't hold on to the lead.

East Columbus' loss came despite strong showings from Jaden Troy and KJ Thurman. Troy posted 21 points and seven boards, while Thurman scored 14 points. Jvon Junious was another key player, putting up three points along with five rebounds and three blocks.

East Columbus' defeat dropped their record down to 9-11. As for Pender, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games, which provided a nice bump to their 5-8 record this season.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. East Columbus will square off against Whiteville at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. As for Pender, they won't have much time to rest: their next match is against Heide Trask at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. One thing working in Heide Trask's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last seven contests.