Cayden Boozer nails game-winner to send Columbus (Fla.) to Chipotle Nationals championship

The second semifinal of the 2025 Chipotle Nationals in Fishers, Ind. was a rock-fight through 16 minutes on Friday, as No. 1 seed Columbus (Fla.) and Brewster Academy (N.H.) were tied at 19 through two quarters.

The teams traded baskets down the stretch, with Brewster star forward Sebastian Wilkins draining a corner 3-pointer to tie the game once more at 45 with less than 10 seconds to play. That turned out to be too much time for Duke point guard signee Cayden Boozer.

After racing down the court, the future Blue Devil pulled up beyond the free throw line and knocked down a tough midrange jumper just before the buzzer to propel the Explorers to the championship game with a 47-45 victory.

Boozer had nine points and a game-high nine rebounds. His twin brother and fellow Duke signee Cameron Boozer led the charge with 15 points, 11 boards and four blocks. Marcellous Jackson and Caleb Gaskins each had nine points for the No. 1 team in the On3 Composite Rankings.

Wilkins powered Brewster in a valiant losing effort with 14 points and 12 rebounds. It was a game of inches that saw the Sunshine State program just edge out the win.

Brewster, considered one of the top defensive programs in the country, made it tough for Columbus to get quality looks, running a zone that led to plenty of empty possessions. The Explorers were also up for the task on the defensive side of the ball, though.

Cameron Boozer had seven points and four rebounds at halftime, while Cayden had five points and four assists. Wilkins kept the Bobcats afloat with nine points and six boards in the first half.

Buckets remained hard to come by in the second half, even as both teams adjusted. Columbus got a big boost from junior small forward Caleb Gaskins, who scored his first seven points in rapid succession. The Explorers’ lead grew to seven, but Brewster continued to find answers.

Cayden knocked down a tough fading jumper before Cameron nailed a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter, bringing the Columbus lead to 43-38. The Bobcats answered with a pair of baskets, including a well-earned layup from Darien Moore, who fought for an offensive rebound. Moore finished with 11 points.

Gaskins made a pair of free throws to extend Columbus’ lead to three points. Brewster then had three bites at the apple on its last possession, which finally ended with the money 3-pointer from Wilkins to tie things up.

Boozer’s clutch basket was the final answer, however. He pushes the Explorers to the championship on Saturday, where it will face Dynamic Prep (Texas), the No. 10 seed in the tournament, led by head coach Jermaine O’Neal. The game is set to tipoff at 12 p.m. ET.

About the Chipotle Nationals

More on the major event via the Chipotle Nationals’ website:

“The National High School Invitational (NHSI) was created in 2009 by Paragon Marketing Group to provide a platform for the top, nationally ranked high school basketball teams in the country to compete against one another in a season-ending tournament.

Over the course of fifteen-years, this event (previously titled DICK’S Nationals and GEICO Nationals, taking place in DC, NYC, FL) has crowned the best high school basketball teams in the country. In 2024, the event moved to IN and became the Chipotle High School Basketball Nationals aka ‘Chipotle Nationals’.”