Area Basketball Roundup: Gator Boys, Girls Clinch Titles

East Columbus teams secure conference championships

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The East Columbus boys and girls basketball teams both clinched Carolina Conference regular season titles on Thursday night. The boys team defeated East Bladen 51-45 in overtime, led by 10 points each from KJ Thurman and Kevon Stackhouse. The girls team routed East Bladen 47-30 behind 21 points from Malia Graham. Both East Columbus squads will have first-round byes in their respective conference tournaments next week.

Why it matters

The East Columbus basketball programs have solidified themselves as the top teams in the Carolina Conference this season. The boys team tied for the regular season title, while the girls team won it outright. This sets both teams up for strong postseason runs as they look to capture conference tournament championships as well.

The details

On the boys side, East Columbus and West Columbus finished the regular season tied atop the Carolina Conference standings at 9-3. However, East Columbus earned the top seed for the tournament by virtue of sweeping the season series against West Columbus. KJ Thurman and Kevon Stackhouse each scored 10 points to lead the Gators. The East Columbus girls team was even more dominant, cruising to a 10-2 conference record and a 15-5 overall mark. Malia Graham poured in 21 points to power the Gators to a 47-30 win over East Bladen, which finished fourth in the standings.

  • East Columbus and West Columbus finished the regular season tied atop the Carolina Conference standings at 9-3.
  • East Columbus earned the top seed for the boys tournament by virtue of sweeping the season series against West Columbus.
  • The East Columbus girls team finished the regular season with a 10-2 conference record and a 15-5 overall mark.

The players

KJ Thurman

A key player for the East Columbus boys team, scoring 10 points in their conference-clinching win over East Bladen.

Kevon Stackhouse

Also scored 10 points for the East Columbus boys in their overtime victory.

Malia Graham

The leading scorer for the East Columbus girls team, pouring in 21 points in their blowout win over East Bladen to secure the conference title.

East Columbus

The boys and girls basketball teams at East Columbus High School, both of whom clinched Carolina Conference regular season championships.

East Bladen

The boys and girls basketball teams at East Bladen High School, who finished the regular season in fourth place in the conference standings.

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What’s next

Both the East Columbus boys and girls teams will have first-round byes in their respective conference tournaments next week at Union High School.

The takeaway

The East Columbus basketball programs have emerged as the class of the Carolina Conference this season, with both the boys and girls teams clinching regular season titles. This sets the stage for potential deep postseason runs as they look to capture conference tournament championships as well.