The boys basketball team has lost four of their five most recent games and hold a current season record of 3-11. 

The Chargers lost to the Desales Colts in a home game Dec. 17 with a final score of 56-53. After the first quarter of the game, the Chargers were up by one point with a score of 12-11. The Chargers struggled to keep a steady lead and had a tied score of 28-28 at halftime. Senior Zak Perdew led East with a total of 11 points in the first half. The Desales Colts gained their lead after the third with a score of 38-34. Senior Hunter Brogan shot a three point goal that helped put East back in the lead at 46-40 with roughly five minutes left in play. After a three point shot by sophomore Tucker Blanford the Chargers remained in the lead, but with 12 seconds left in the game, Desales was able to win with a score of 56-53 after shooting at the line. 

“I just think that we make some stupid plays and we make the game so difficult on the mental side. The talent is there, but we’re not a team right now, but I believe it’s only a matter of time before we find it,” said Brogan. 

Two days after their loss to Desales at home, the team traveled down the road to Spencer County High School to compete against the Bears. After the first quarter, the Chargers were up with a score of 14-7. They managed to remain in the lead at the end of the second as well, and Perdew led East with 11 points in the first half again. The Chargers trailed the Bears after the third with a score of 44-41. With 30 seconds left in the game and a score of 54-49, Bears, the Chargers call for a time out. Once they’re back in the game, a foul was called on the Chargers and the Bears were able to shoot at the line. The final score was 58-49, Spencer County. Perdew led with 19 points in the game, and junior Collin Powell was next with 14 points. 

After these two losses, the team traveled south to Miami, FL Dec. 26. The team participated in the Jr. Orange Bowl Classic which consisted of three different games for the team to work through in the bracket. Dec. 27, the Chargers faced Schoolhouse Prep from Florida to kickoff the tournament. At the half, Schoolhouse Prep was in the lead with a score of 34-22. The Chargers were unable to take the lead, and the final score of the game was 76-53, Schoolhouse Prep. 

In the next game of the tournament, the team played Centerville High School from Ohio Dec. 28. After the first quarter, the Chargers trailed with a score of 10-6. However, at halftime the Chargers were able to come up on top with a score of 30-24. Senior Hunter Brogan led the team with 12 points, which consisted of four separate three point goals. Junior Josiah Morris and Brogan ended the third quarter with two separate three point goals, and brought the Chargers to lead 47-40 at the end of the third. The final score was 68-59, East, with Brogan leading the team with 21 points.

The last game in the tournament was against North Miami. The team trailed North Miami with a score of 18-5 after the first half, and continued throughout the game. After the half, the score was 36-18, North Miami. The Chargers lost their final game in the Jr. Orange Bowl Classic to North Miami with a final score of 72-59. 

The team headed back home to Kentucky, and took on Warren Central in the South Oldham New Year’s Tournament Jan. 2. The teams were tied 14-14 at the end of the first half, and it continued to be a close game with a score of 26-25, East, at halftime. Zak Perdew led the team in the first half with 10 points. After the third quarter, Warren Central was able to gain a 7 point lead with a score of 41-34. With three minutes left in the game, East takes a timeout with a score of 53-44, Warren Central. Roughly two minutes later, East takes another timeout, but comes back in the game to lose 64-50 to Warren Central. 

“I mean we just look at every loss as something we need to learn from. Every time in our schedule has been ranked in the top 50 in the state. So I’d beg to say that we have probably played the toughest schedule in the state. But nevertheless we should still have a better record. We know we are a good team, but we just have to put all the pieces together and we can achieve our goal of winning the regional championship and going to play in the sweet 16,” said Perdew. 

The team will travel to Waggener High School Jan. 7 to play at 8 p.m. Last year, the Chargers lost to Waggener with a score of 56-47.