Explorers face Jermaine O'Neal's Dynamic Prep in the title game.
The final sequence saw four-star junior
Sebastian Wilkins of Brewster Academy knocking down a game-tying 3-pointer from the left corner with 10 seconds remaining after
Cameron Boozer blocked a potential game-tying attempt.
Cayden Boozer of Columbus operates against Brewster Academy in Friday's semifinal win. The Explorers meet Dynamic Prep of Texas in Saturday's championship game. (PHOTO: Julie Brown)
Cayden Boozer took the ball the length of the court and knocked down a contested shot from just inside the arc with three players in his vicinity as time expired.
The top 25 Duke signee knocked down a similar shot fading to his other side with time expiring on the shot clock mid-way through the fourth period and finished with nine points and nine assists in the win.
No. 3-ranked Duke signee
Cameron Boozer , who finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots, hit a clutch 3-point shot from the right wing with 3:26 to go to give the Explorers a five-point advantage. But junior Seton Hall commit
Darien Moore scored back-to-back baskets for Brewster Academy to cut the deficit to 43-42 with 1:17 remaining.
After top 20
Caleb Gaskins knocked down a pair of free throw with 37 seconds remaining, the final sequence ensued.
Despite seeing top 20 junior
Jaxon Richardson foul out in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, Columbus (29-3) was able to make more clutch plays down the stretch.
Wilkins finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds in the loss for Brewster Academy (28-5).
The first semifinal showdown saw Dynamic Prep take down
Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 83-64 in a wire-to-wire victory that was never in doubt.
Head coach Jermaine O'Neal saw his team jump out to a 23-10 lead at the end of the first quarter before extending their advantage to as many as 29 points. Although Prolific Prep won the third quarter 23-14 to the cut deficit to 17 points, it was unable to cut the deficit under double-digits in the second half.
Dynamic Prep (34-4), which came into the event as the No. 10 seed in a 10-team field, was led by 20 points and six rebounds from four-star Rutgers signee
Chris Nwuli along with 17 points, 14 rebounds and four assists from top 50 TCU signee
Jaden Toombs.
Chris Nwuli rises for a dunk in Dynamic Prep's dominant win over Prolific Prep in Friday's first semifinal. (PHOTO: Julie Brown)
Sam Houston State commit
Jacobe Coleman also chipped in 12 points and five rebounds while Oral Roberts pledge
Leroy Kelly IV filled the box score with 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds in the victory.
Although five-star Kansas signee
Darryn Peterson led Prolific Prep with a game-high 24 points in the loss, a stifling defensive effort held him to 9 of 27 shooting from the field.
As a team, Prolific Prep (35-6) was held to 23 of 61 (37.7 percent) shooting from the field and 8 of 30 (26.7 percent) from 3-point range.
