Booker T. Washington continues to insist it’s not just a football school.

The boys’ basketball team won its second tournament of the holiday season Friday, taking first place in the sixth annual Ralei Sealey New Year’s Classic at La Salle with a 57-45 win over Columbus.

Demetrius Jackson, a 6-5 junior forward, had a double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds to go with three steals and four blocks defensively to lead Booker T. (13-3).

“That’s the only way we’re going to get that victory,” Jackson said. “It starts with me being dominant on the inside, and that affects everybody else.”

After closing out the first half with a put-back layup off an offensive rebound, Jackson scored four of Booker T.’s next six field goals to ignite a 12-0 early third-quarter run that had the Tornadoes ahead after trailing by as many as 10.

Columbus (14-3) came back to tie the game early in the fourth when center Kevin O’Brien went on a 7-0 run by himself, but Booker T. finished on an 11-2 run over the final 3:35 to seal the victory.

The Tornadoes had problems stopping Marquise Clark, who scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half, but Booker T. coach Javorie Wilson made a switch at halftime to put Richie Spiller, an All-Dade selection last year, on Clark defensively, which made all the difference.

“I just thought that every time our kids faced adversity, they responded,” Wilson said. “Whether it was the first half, whether it was this kid Marquise Clark going off for 17 points — that’s Richie. … He sacrificed points and everything for our team to win. He locked that kid up.”

Spiller, who was tournament MVP at the Junior Orange Bowl Basketball Classic last week, finished with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists.

With the win, Booker T. also avenged an earlier loss this season to Columbus in the A-Rod Classic. The Tornadoes were without Jackson that time.

The Tornadoes now look ahead to a Thursday matchup with Edison, a neighborhood rival and district foe.

The tournament hosted by La Salle honors Ralei Sealey, a former multi-sport athlete at Gulliver who died in August 2007 when he drowned at a Key Biscayne regatta with football teammates.

•  Booker T. Washington 57, Columbus 45 – BTW (13-3): Jackson 22, Spiller 12, Pitpit 9, Holcomb 5, Passmore 4, Boyd 3, Ray 2. COL (14-3): Clark 19, O’Brien 9, Minervino 8, Rico 7, Sawyer 2. Halftime: COL 26-21. Three-pointers: Minervino, Clark, O’Brien, Pitpit 3, Spiller, Boyd. Rebounds: Jackson 13. Assists: Spiller 5. Steals: Jackson 3. Blocks: Jackson 5.

MORE BOYS’ BASKETBALL

•  Archbishop Curley 53, Calvary Christian 30 – CUR (11 4): Lemonier 6, Cheron 3, Ermitus 10, Maurice 4, Dorvil 6, Brown 24. CAL: Chisholm 10, Minters 5, Tchiuldjin 2, Rossello 2, Ross 1, Diaz 9, Newlan. Halftime: CUR 23 7. Three: Chisholm 2, Minters, Diaz 2. Rebounds: Brown 14. Assists: Blanchard 3, Ermitus 3. Steals: Lemonier 3.

•  Archbishop McCarthy 63, Marathon 41 – AM (9 5): Moya 4, Gil 3, Thorn 7, Duren 2, Amortegui 3, Collie 2, Talbot 8, Richard 12, Bavaro 2, Liburd 4, McBride 14, Arias 2. MAR (2 10): Cavitt 4, Rojas 10, Stewart 6, Ryan 11, Bluca 3, Santray 2, Garcia 2, Chaplin 3. Halftime: AM 29 18. Three pointers: McBride 2, Gil, Talbot, Ryan 2, Bluca, Cavitt, Rojas. Rebounds: Richard 8.