Columbia’s Cole Khoury goes up for a shot against Waterloo on Monday night. He led the Eagles with 16 points in the win. See more photos from the game at republictimes.net/photo-store.

The Columbia Eagles are the last local high school boys hoops team still playing following a hard-fought victory Monday night over Monroe County rival Waterloo at the Class 3A Freeburg Regional.

The game was much closer than the 61-43 final score indicates, however.

Waterloo – which entered the game with a record of 7-24 and eight straight losses – actually led the Eagles after one quarter, 15-13. The game was tied at 20-20 late in the first half until a lay-in by Jacob O’Connor and a pair of free throws by Jackson Holmes gave Columbia the four-point halftime edge.

“I think our kids were a little nervous early, chasing a little bit on defense and taking some quick shots on offense,” Columbia head coach Mark Sandstrom said.  

The Eagles (19-12) moved the ball inside to Cole Khoury more in the second half and capitalized on some wide open three-pointers when Waterloo double-teamed the 6-foot-8 senior.

Waterloo’s Ty Lenhardt skies toward the basket against Columbia on Monday night. (Corey Saathoff photo)

“We were much more ourselves in the second half and executed much better,” Sandstrom said…>>> 

Read more in the February 27, 2019, issue.

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