Basketball Recap: Columbia Comes Up Short

Columbia was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were five points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 46-41 heartbreaker at the hands of the Mattamuskeet Lakers. The Wildcats were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Lakers apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in February of 2024.

Despite the loss, Columbia still got an impressive performance from Jayden Sawyer, who went 11 for 23 on his way to 28 points along with seven boards and five blocks. That was a full 68.3% of Columbia's points, marking the fourth time in a row he's posted more than a third of the team's points. Ja-Kwon White was another key player, putting up seven points.

Wildcats

Previous 3 Games

02/07/25 @ Mattamuskeet	41-46
02/04/25 @ Hobgood Charter	50-62
01/31/25 vs Ocracoke	37-60

Even though they lost, Columbia smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds every time they've taken the court this season.

Columbia's defeat dropped their record down to 3-15. As for Mattamuskeet, their victory bumped their record up to 4-8.

Coming up, Columbia will challenge Cape Hatteras at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Mattamuskeet, they will head out to square off against Bear Grass Charter at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Bear Grass Charter knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 55 points or more in their past three matchups -- so hopefully Mattamuskeet likes a good challenge.