Top-ranked Columbus basketball opens season with loss to nationally-ranked Prolific Prep
Both Cameron and Cayden Boozer said they welcomed the pressure of being the No. 1-ranked team in the nation right out of the gate.
The first test in what will be a gauntlet of a senior season for the star siblings and recent Duke University commits on the Columbus basketball team didn’t go the way they hoped, however.
Facing a nationally-ranked Prolific Prep squad from California motivated by the opportunity to take down the nation’s top team and perhaps a little payback for last season’s loss, the Explorers watched an early lead slip away and fell 66-54 in their season opener at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
Cameron Boozer, the No. 2-ranked prospect in the Class of 2025, scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and led Columbus (0-1) along with five-star junior Caleb Gaskins, who also had 15 points. Cayden Boozer finished with seven points.
But the Explorers were unable to slow down Prolific Prep’s senior and Kansas commit Darryn Peterson, who torched them for a game-high 33 points. Peterson did the bulk of his damage in the first half, scoring Prolific Prep’s first 10 points and 22 over those first 16 minutes.
Columbus opened the game strong and took a 19-7 lead until Peterson nailed a three-pointer at the first quarter buzzer.
The bucket was a sign of things to come as Prolific Prep (5-0) would go on an 11-0 run sparked by Peterson.
By the second half, Prolific steadily took control with strong play at both ends and an ability to make life difficult for Columbus in the paint. The Crew used a 10-2 run in the fourth quarter to pull away for good.
Peterson shot 11 of 17 for the game and also grabbed eight rebounds while Niko Bundalo, a four-star senior power forward, finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Columbus will have over a week to regroup following the defeat before playing in a Thanksgiving Holiday tournament in Atlanta where it will face Georgia powerhouse Wheeler Prep, which is ranked No. 23 in the nation by MaxPreps.
