By Eddie Lopez
Four rings in four years—a feat that has only happened five times in the state of Florida—are now on the hand of Coach Andrew Moran and his nationally ranked Columbus Basketball team.
Season
It’s no doubt that Columbus basketball faces some of the best schools not only in Florida, but in the nation and are able to cement their place as the number 1 basketball team in the United States. Facing schools like Monteverde, Prolific Prep, IMG Academy and Notre Dame Prep throughout the early stages of the season, the Explorers learned not only how they stand in the national basketball scene, but their ability to come back from a tough game like their 13 game win streak after their loss to Prolific.
The Boozer brothers finish off their FHSAA career leading this year's team in several categories. Cameron Boozer finishes leading the team with 22.6 points a game, averaging 12 rebounds per game and 1.3 blocks a game. Cayden Boozer, running point led the team with 7.5 assists per game while racking up 13.9 points a game as well.
Jaxon Richardson took on a larger role in the offense this season and his growth showed as he averaged 14.1 points a game and led the team with a 63 percent field goal percentage. Newcomers like Caleb Gaskins who averaged 14.5 points with 6.2 rebounds per game and Cello Jackson averaged 7.2 points per game with 3.7 assists per game made an immense impact in ball distribution and the overall team chemistry.
Finishing 25-3 through the state regional championship, the Explorers headed to the state championship game to defend their title.
State Championship
Making their fourth trip up to the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, the Explorers steamrolled past Seminole and Windermere.
Winning by a combined 64 points in both the semi-final and final games, the Columbus takeover drew attention from just about every basketball outlet in the U.S.
The Explorers led from start to finish during the state championship game never letting up on the gas. Cameron Boozer left no doubt scoring 20 points, snagging nine rebounds and securing three blocks. Jaxon Richardson added to the scoring with 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds which helped secure the lead.
An emotional moment ensued as the Boozer twins walked off the court for a final time in an FHSAA game and received a standing ovation from the fans.
Clockwise from top left - Jaxon Richardson holding The Log's front page with Cayden Boozer and Zeljko Sekulovic. Coach Moran celebrating after teh win. Cameron boozer holding the trophy and The Log's front page. Principal Pugh and President Kruczek holding The Log's front page. (Photo Credit: Jason Fernandez)
What’s Next
The season is far from over for Coach Moran and his squad as they make the trip to Indiana to challenge for the national title in the Chipotle Nationals. Losing in the semi-final round last year, the Explorers know the difficulty of the task, but nonetheless with their talented roster and coaching staff the team is confident they can make a push to the final game. Taking a bye in the first round, Columbus waits for the winner between IMG and Wasatch and will continue to meet a lot of familiar faces like IMG and Monteverde on their road to a national championship.
Taking another moment to look at what the group has accomplished just in this season, the Boozer brothers became the first pair to ever receive All-American honors in the same year and Coach Moran received the Naismith Boys High School Coach of the Year becoming the first not just in Columbus, but in the entire state of Florida.
It is an exciting time to be an Explorer basketball fan, and to see the Dynasty take place in Westchester. Tune in to ESPNU on April 3 at 8 pm Eastern Time to see Columbus take on their first opponent.
Jersey Retirement
On March 20, 2025, the Boozer brothers were cemented in Columbus history as the first athletes ever to have their numbers retired. At the State Championship celebration ceremony, where speakers included Athletic Director Mr. McKeon and Head Coach Andrew Moran, the brothers were honored as their number retirement was official.
Cameron and Cayden Boozer admiring their jersey retirements following the ceremony on March 20, 2025. (Photo Credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez)
The title is tuff 🔥