FORT MYERS, FLA. — In the second quarterfinal contest from the City of Palms Classic on Thursday night, National Top 10 No. 4
Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) escaped with a 68-61 victory over MaxPreps Top 25 No. 6 Columbus powered by a strong fourth quarter and a team-high 21 points from five-star Texas signee
Tre Johnson.
Early on in the contest it appeared Link Academy was going to control the game as they jumped ahead by 11 points with 1:18 remaining in the first quarter following a 10-0 run, but Columbus clawed their way back to within 39-34 at halftime.
The Explorers carried that momentum into the second half as they started the third quarter on an 18-2 run to give themselves a 52-41 lead sparked by a number of crucial baskets from top 20 junior
Cayden Boozer who accounted for eight of the 18 points during the spurt. Four-star Michigan State signee
Jase Richardson also contributed four points during the run, while five-star junior
Cameron Boozer and junior guard
Benny Fragela each knock down a three-pointer.
Link Academy responded strong to end the period as they closed the third quarter on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 52-49 headed into the fourth quarter of play. In the final minute of the quarter, four-star Arkansas signee
Jalen Shelley and Tre Johnson knocked down three-pointers before top 30 Kansas signee
Labaron Philon finished a layup in transition.
After Cameron Boozer split a pair of free throws to give Columbus a 53-49 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Lions went on an 8-0 run sparked by a three-pointer and transition layup from five-star junior Jasper Johnson, a banked in floater from Tre Johnson and one made free throw from four-star North Carolina pledge
James Brown.
A three-pointer from the left corner from Fragela momentarily stopped the run, before Tre Johnson hit another big three-pointer on the other end to make things 60-56 Link Academy.
Cayden Boozer knocked down a mid-range jump shot with approximately four minutes remaining to cut the deficit back to two points before a pair of free throws on the other end from Jasper Johnson extended the lead back to four points.
Philon knocked down three out of four free throws in the final 40 seconds to ice the game and extend the advantage to three possessions with under 30 seconds remaining.
Columbus (6-3) will look to rebound against MaxPreps Top 25 No. 4
Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) tomorrow at 1 p.m. eastern standard time in the fifth place semifinal game.
Tre Johnson pumped in a team-high 21 points for Link Academy in their City of Palms Classic semifinal victory. (Photo: Eugene Alonzo)
