A Boozer buzzer beater lifts Columbus basketball team to Chipotle Nationals title game
The dream of a national championship was in jeopardy.
Cayden Boozer wasn't about to let it slip away.
Boozer, who has proven so adept at finding open teammates over his four-year career as Columbus' star point guard, took it upon himself on Friday night in the closing seconds.
With the game tied and the clock ticking, Cayden drove to the top of the key and then hoisted up a three-pointer across his body which found the mark to seal a 47-45 victory over New Hampshire Brewster Academy in the semifinals of Chipotle Nationals at Fishers, Indiana.
Columbus, the top-seed in the tournament and the No. 1-ranked team in the nation per MaxPreps, advanced to the final where it will face No. 10-seed and Texas powerhouse Dynamic Prep at noon on Saturday.
The Explorers are the first South Florida team since NSU University School in 2018 to reach the final and will try to become the first boys squad to win the event in its 16-year history.
Columbus is also vying to become the first South Florida team to finish a season voted national champions.
All of those goals were in serious danger once Sebastian Wilkins tied the game at 45 with 10 seconds left.
Columbus chose not to call timeout and proceeded to inbound the ball to Cayden Boozer, who then calmly pushed the ball down the court and set up his winning shot.
Boozer's teammates rushed the court to celebrate with him after his heroics.
He finished with nine points and nine assists in what turned out to be a defensive struggle for a team, which often scored 90-plus points this past season on its way to a fourth consecutive state championship.
Cayden's brother, and fellow Duke signee, Cameron Boozer once again led the Explorers on the scoresheet with 15 points and also had a team-high 11 rebounds. Wilkins, a four-star 2026 prospect, led Brewster with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Caleb Gaskins and Cello Jackson each also had nine points for Columbus, which led 40-33 with 5:01 left in the fourth quarter before Brewster began chipping away.
The Explorers were outrebounded 32-31 and 17-8 on the offensive glass, which kept Brewster Academy in the game with 19 second chance points.
Columbus defeated its final opponent Saturday, Dynamic Prep, 73-55, during the regular season on Dec. 6. Dynamic Prep has been on an impressive run during the Chipotle Nationals, ousting Montverde Academy, Link Academy (Missouri) and Prolific Prep (CA) on its way to the final.
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