Injury-depleted Bull Dogs fall to Bloomington South

Columbus North loses Conference Indiana boys basketball title race

Feb. 14, 2026 at 10:39am

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The Columbus North Bull Dogs boys basketball team suffered a 58-41 loss to Bloomington South, who clinched the outright Conference Indiana title. The Bull Dogs were hit hard by injuries, missing key players Ibar Baker, Anderson Horn, and leading scorer Austin Perry, who left the game early with an ankle injury.

Why it matters

The loss drops Columbus North to 2-2 in conference play, ending their hopes of winning the Conference Indiana championship this season. The bigger concern is the rash of injuries the team is dealing with, which could impact their performance in the final stretch of the regular season.

The details

Bloomington South took advantage of the injury-depleted Bull Dogs, hitting shots from the outside and in the paint. Duncan Combs led Bloomington South with a game-high 22 points, including four 3-pointers. For Columbus North, Jack Whaley, Caleb Ferguson, Zach Fedor and Eli Wrightsman each scored 8 points, while Ben Kriesant added 7.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Austin Perry

The leading scorer for Columbus North, he left the game early with an ankle injury and did not return.

Ibar Baker

A rotational player for Columbus North who missed the game due to a knee injury.

Anderson Horn

A rotational player for Columbus North who missed the game due to an ankle injury.

Duncan Combs

A 6-foot-6 versatile wing player for Bloomington South who had a game-high 22 points with four 3-pointers.

Paul Ferguson

The head coach of the Columbus North Bull Dogs.

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What they’re saying

“We had a lot to overcome. Bloomington South played a good game, but really it was an opportunity for some of our younger guys and depth pieces to really experience the next level of competition, so it was good. There was a lot of takeaways from this although the score didn't turn out the way we wanted it, but there's some good learn and grow moments for a lot of our guys that will help us down the stretch. We're just building more depth right now.”

— Paul Ferguson, Head Coach, Columbus North Bull Dogs (therepublic.com)

“Duncan played a great game, but it also showed how we need Anderson Horn and Ibar Baker. They've been great for us, and without them, we struggled to rebound. We struggled to defend. We had guys in new positions, so a lot of learn-and-grow moments. We'll get better from this, hopefully get healthy and bounce back next week.”

— Paul Ferguson, Head Coach, Columbus North Bull Dogs (therepublic.com)

What’s next

The Bull Dogs have a busy week ahead, with three games scheduled. They will host Perry Meridian on Tuesday, then travel to face Bloomington North on Friday and Franklin on Saturday.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the challenges the injury-depleted Columbus North team is facing in their quest to win the Conference Indiana title. However, coach Ferguson sees it as an opportunity for younger players to gain valuable experience that will benefit the team down the stretch as they work to get healthy and bounce back.