Latest news with #CaydenBoozer
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Top international prospect Dame Sarr commits to Duke
May 22 - Duke gained a commitment from Dame Sarr, the top international 2025 prospect, on Thursday, helping the Blue Devils to ease the sting of losing four of their top five scorers to the 2025 NBA Draft. The 18-year-old announced his commitment to Duke via ESPN, calling it "my dream school." "My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA," Sarr said. "There's no better place to prepare you for that than Duke." A 6-foot-8 wing from Oderzo, Italy, Sarr made his Spanish ACB league debut for Barcelona in 2023. Then 16, Sarr became the second-youngest player in club history. He had a strong performance at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Ore., in April, where he recorded 17 points and four boards in 25 minutes against the top high school players in the United States, including future Duke teammates Cameron and Cayden Boozer. Sarr's commitment further bolsters the Blue Devils' recruiting class, which ranks third in the nation, according to the 247Sports composite behind only Houston and Arizona. --Field Level Media
Miami Herald
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Columbus' Cameron and Cayden Boozer are Dade Boys' Basketball 7A-5A Players of the Year
Over four years, they helped transform Columbus' basketball program into a national powerhouse. And in the process, Cameron and Cayden Boozer backed up the hype that made them two of the top-rated basketball players in the country. They finished their careers in style recently winning their fourth state championship and securing that elusive national title when they led the Explorers to victory at Chipotle Nationals. As such, the Boozer twins are this year's Miami Herald Class 7A-5A Boys' Basketball Players of the Year for Miami-Dade County. The two are headed to Duke University together where they follow in the footsteps of their father, former NBA All-Star, Carlos Boozer. Cameron, a three-time prior winner of this award, capped one of the most decorated careers of any South Florida athlete all-time. Cameron, the No. 3-ranked overall prospect and top-ranked power forward prospect in the nation per 247Sports, averaged 22.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game and showed off his versatility once again, also averaging 3.2 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. He earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors for the second time in his career. He was also a McDonald's All-American, MaxPreps All-American and Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Florida winner just to name a few accolades. Cayden, who averaged 14.3 points and 7.2 assists per game, conducted the Explorers' up-tempo offense once again and also averaged 3.8 rebounds per game. Cayden, who ranks No. 4 nationally among point guards, also earned McDonald's All-American honors, took over in the Chipotle Nationals championship game, scoring 27 points to lead the Explorers to a 67-49 win over Dynamic Prep and the first ever title win in the event by a South Florida team. Columbus, ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps, is the first team in Dade history to end the season ranked No. 1 in the polls. 'This was the last thing we needed on our bucket list and now we're just celebrating,' Cameron Boozer said during a postgame interview with ESPN. 'This is super sweet after last year, we knew we wanted to win it all and we came back and did it.' The Boozer twins recently became the first athletes in Columbus' school history to have their jerseys retired. During their time there, they helped the Explorers become only the second team in county history to win four consecutive state championships. 'It's special and something we were dreaming about since we were freshmen,' Cayden Boozer said during a postgame interview that day with ESPN. 'To finish it the right way with the group we have is just an amazing feeling and doing it with my twin brother is a blessing.'
Miami Herald
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Columbus earns exclusive place in South Florida history after winning Chipotle Nationals
The goal when Cameron and Cayden Boozer first arrived at Columbus was to dream big. Not just for state championships, which the school had never won to that point, but also for national championships, which no Dade team had ever won. With the twin sons of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer at the forefront, the Explorers spent the past four seasons collecting state titles. The missing piece, the one Cameron referred to as being on he and his brother's 'bucket list,' was a national championship. Playing in their final high school game together on Saturday afternoon, the Boozers and the Explorers added the missing piece. Led by Cayden Boozer's 27 points, Columbus pulled away in the second half and secured a 67-49 victory over Texas' Dynamic Prep to win its first championship of the Chipotle Nationals tournament in Fishers, Indiana. The Explorers began the season ranked No. 1 in the nation. They're in position to end it there after becoming the first team from South Florida to win the event, which is in its 16th year. Columbus would be the first boys' basketball team from South Florida to be voted national champions. 'It's obviously amazing and an incredible feeling,' Columbus coach Andrew Moran said. 'It's the cherry on top. These kids won everything they set their minds to win. It was always their mindset and they played their (butts) off. It's an incredible feeling.' Columbus, the top-seed in the tournament, was the first South Florida team to play in the event's championship game since 2018 after surviving a close call in the semifinals. Cayden Boozer's buzzer-beating jumper as time expired lifted the Explorers to a 47-45 win over Brewster Academy of New Hampshire on Friday night. Boozer carried over that momentum to Saturday's final with one of his most dominant performances. Tied at 34 with 3:44 left in third quarter, Cayden Boozer sparked a 10-0 run that allowed Columbus to pull away for good. Meanwhile, Cameron Boozer took on more of a point forward role, facilitating teammates such as Cello Jackson, who finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Cameron finished with 11 points and eight rebounds. The Explorers' collective defensive efforts stifled Dynamic Prep's Jermaine O'Neal Jr., an SMU signee, holding him to only three points. O'Neal's father - former Pacers and Heat standout Jermaine O'Neal - is the coach at Dynamic Prep. He watched his team, seeded 10th in the tournament, beat three higher-seeded opponents on their way to Saturday's final. But after two and a half quarters, Columbus imposed its will and ended Dynamic Prep's stellar run through the tournament. 'It's special and something we were dreaming about since we were freshmen,' Cayden Boozer said. 'To finish it the right way with the group we have is just an amazing feeling and doing it with my twin brother is a blessing.' South Florida has long been known for producing top-tier talent and teams that have won national titles in sports like football, baseball and soccer. But teams achieving even close to the level of dominance Columbus did this season on the national stage has been rare. Teams such as the 1998 Miami High team, which ended the season ranked No. 2 nationally with Udonis Haslem, the 1985 Miami Carol City team that finished ranked in the top 10, the 1974 Miami Jackson, affectionately known as the 'Jackson Five,' which went undefeated, and the Miami Christian teams of the early 2000s with Jose Juan Barea come to mind. The Explorers now have something none of those could claim - a national title. They did it with the Boozers, both of whom have signed with Duke University. They did it with Cameron, a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year who's been named an All-American by multiple outlets and ranked the No. 3 overall prospect in the country. And Cayden, arguably the top point guard in the nation who is ranked No. 16 overall by ESPN. The Boozers have had their jerseys retired at Columbus in honor of their vast list of accomplishments. And Columbus achieved these heights with more than just the Boozers. They also did it with talent such as 6-6 small forward Jaxon Richardson, as well as 6-7 forward Caleb Gaskins and 6-4 small forward Cello Jackson - all of whom are highly-ranked prospects for the class of 2026. Moran, who will reportedly join new University of Miami head coach Jai Lucas on his coaching staff next season, led the Explorers to a 138-32 record during his six seasons at Columbus and 109-13 over the past four seasons. Moran was named the Naismith National Coach of the Year recently after guiding Columbus to all four state titles and now this national crown. If that junior core remains under a new coach, Columbus should remain among the nation's best and in good shape to challenge for a fifth consecutive state title, which would tie a state record. 'This was the last thing we needed on our bucket list and now we're just celebrating,' Cameron Boozer said. 'This is super sweet after last year, we knew we wanted to win it all and we came back and did it.'
Miami Herald
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
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.
Fox Sports
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Duke is seeking a national title. Top recruits Cameron and Cayden Boozer want a prep crown as well
Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — Cameron and Cayden Boozer have one goal this week. They want to win the biggest trophy that has eluded them throughout their careers at Miami powerhouse Christopher Columbus High. 'Got to win nationals,' Cameron said. This time next year, one might think he'll be saying exactly the same thing at the college level. The Duke-bound twin sons of longtime NBA forward Carlos Boozer have a national championship in mind this week — the high school version — while the school at which they'll be enrolling in a couple months is favored to win the NCAA title at the Final Four that starts Saturday. The Boozer twins are essentially a reminder that whether presumed No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg leaves Duke for the NBA as many expect or not, the Blue Devils will be loaded again next season with the consensus top high school recruiting class in the country and likely right back in the national-title picture. Duke is winning this year while playing a ton of freshmen. It'll likely have to follow the same formula next year. 'Age is just a number,' Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. 'And obviously it's different to have three freshmen starting. (In the regional final) we played five freshmen on a team that's going to a Final Four. I think for our program, we've always thought about doing things differently.' That recruiting class is led by Cameron Boozer, the now two-time Gatorade national player of the year. He won it two years ago as a sophomore. The winner last year — that would be Flagg, a top contender for college player of the year this year. And now that Flagg is in college, the best-high-school-player trophy is Boozer's once again. 'His game is already elite,' said Miami Heat forward Kevin Love, himself a former Gatorade player of the year who surprised Cameron Boozer with the trophy in a ceremony at Columbus High last week. Cameron Boozer, a 6-foot-10 power forward, is averaging 22.6 points, 12 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks through 30 games this season — during which he and his brother, a 6-foot-4 point guard, led Columbus to a 27-3 record and fourth consecutive Florida state title. 'He's one of the best leaders I've ever met," Cayden Boozer said of his twin brother. "I'm a little bit more shy when you when you first meet me, but I open my shell once I get to know people. And he's one of the funniest guys I know. Very goofy.' The Boozer twins were recruited by basically everybody at the Division I level, but Duke — where Carlos Boozer played for three seasons under coach Mike Krzyzewski — wasn't a lock to get them. Miami pushed hard for the twins, and some experts actually expected them to sign with the Hurricanes before the Blue Devils wound up winning the commitment in October. It should be noted that the twins weren't a recruiting package deal. Things just worked out that way. 'We never really discussed even if we wanted to (go to school together) until basically the end," Cayden Boozer said. "We were just going through it by ourselves, seeing what school was the best fit for both of us as individuals. Then when it came down to the wire, we were like, 'Do we want to do this together? Yeah, I think we should.' So, obviously, we're able to go to the same school together, which is an amazing feeling.' The national high school tournament, now called the Chipotle Nationals, brings together 10 boys teams and four girls teams. It starts Wednesday and runs through the two championship games on Saturday in Fishers, Indiana, near Indianapolis. There's no shortage of well-known programs in the tournament. Montverde Academy and IMG Academy from Florida have both their boys and girls teams in the fields. The boys field also includes Link Academy of Missouri, Long Island Lutheran of New York, Brewster Academy of New Hampshire, CIA Bella Vista of Arizona, Prolific Prep of California, Wasatch Academy of Utah and Dynamic Prep of Texas. The girls field, along with the two Florida schools, includes Westtown School of Pennsylvania and Faith Family Academy of Texas. Some of the names are instantly recognizable: Carmelo Anthony's Syracuse-bound son Kiyan Anthony plays for Long Island Lutheran, Dynamic Prep is coached (and the school was founded) by former NBA All-Star Jermaine O'Neal, and Heat assistant coach Malik Allen has his sons Dante and Kayden at Montverde. But plenty of eyeballs will be on the Boozer twins, and rightly so. That's been the case for years and they handle it with ease. 'I still haven't reached any of my dreams," Cayden Boozer said. "We've been able to win at the high school level, but I still haven't gone to college. And only the 1% are able to make it to the NBA. So, I'm just pushing myself to chase my dreams because this is just the beginning of what I really want to do. Having that in mind allows me to be able to push myself.' They both have pushed plenty. They didn't become blue-chip recruits because of the family name. They earned the trip to where they're at. 'The thing about expectation is other people's expectations don't really matter," Cameron Boozer said. 'You kind of have to focus on the game and be present in every game. If you always are focusing on the outside noise and who's saying this, who's saying that and who expects this and that, you're never going to have good games. Just go out there and think about basketball.' ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. recommended in this topic
