No. 4
Columbus (Miami) outlasted No. 2
Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 57-55 in a see-saw City of Palms Classic semifinal Tuesday that saw 17 second-half lead changes and came down to the last possession. Top-rated sophomore
Cameron Boozer was the difference in the end for the victorious Explorers.
Paul VI led 31-28 at half while Columbus carried a 43-41 advantage after three quarters, which set the stage for a wild, back-and-fourth final period that saw nine lead changes. Boozer finally gave the Explorers a 56-55 lead with 1:11 left as brother
Cayden Boozer hit one of three free throws down the stretch that left the door open for the Panthers.
But a last-second 3-pointer by
Deshawn Harris-Smith went off back iron and Columbus escaped the wild affair.
Leading up to the final exchange, Paul VI evened the score at the start of the fourth quarter on a goaltending call that knotted things at 43-43.
Nikola Djapa hit one of two free throws for Columbus and a 44-43 lead before Cameron Boozer showed why he's the real deal. He led the Explorers with a game-high 17 points, including 12 in the second half. Cayden Boozer added 16 and
Malik Abdullahi scored 14. Harris-Smith led Paul VI with 15 points.
Columbus sophomore Cameron Boozer looks to corral a rebound in the Explorers 57-55 win over No. 2 Paul VI in a City of Palms semifinal on Tuesday. Boozer had a game-high 17 points for the fourth-ranked Explorers. (Photo: Pete Wright)
Cameron, son of former former NBA player Carlos Boozer, took over the game for the Explorers, scoring 10 of their final 13 points. He had back-to-back slams, the second on a Cayden Boozer lob that made the score 48-47 Explorers. He then answered a go-ahead bucket from Harris-Smith with a left-handed layup in traffic for a 52-51 lead, the 14th change of the second half.
After freshman
Jordan Smith got the rebound and cleaned up his miss to wrestle the lead back for Paul VI, Cameron Boozer gave the Explorers the lead for good with a layup with just over 70 seconds remaining.
Columbus started hot, jumping to a 7-0 lead two minutes into play. But Paul VI chipped away with buckets from Harris-Smith,
Ben Hammond and tied the game on a pair of buckets from
Jaquan Womack with a minute in the period. But a triple by
Benny Fragela from the right corner stemmed the tide as Columbus held a 17-16 lead at the end of the first period.
Paul VI stormed out of the break to start the second period with five straight on a Hammond jumper from the right side followed by an
Isaiah Abraham right-corner 3-pointer and a 21-17 lead. Columbus answered on the next two possessions as the Boozer brothers showed off their skills as Cameron threw down a monster jam before Cayden Boozer finished after a nifty back-door cut that knotted the contest at 21.
However, the see-saw first half took another pivot as Harris-Smith knocked down a 3-pointer while drawing a foul. He had to leave because of a bloody mouth, the lingering result of contact in a Monday quarterfinal game. Abraham subbed in and completed the four-point play as Paul Vi took the 25-21 lead before Cayden Boozer answered with two of his 13 first-half points.
Though Paul VI would bump its lead back to four on a fast-break bucket by Harris-Smith, Columbus sandwiched a
Darren Harris basket and Abraham free throws with a Fragela triple and Cayden Boozer bucket at the first-half buzzer as Paul VI led 31-28 at intermission.
