Columbus basketball reaches historic milestone with fourth state championship in a row
The first one, the repeat and the “three-peat” were all nail-biters.
The “four-peat” was simply a coronation.
Columbus clinched its first three state championships in dramatic fashion over the past three years.
But the 2024-25 Explorers stand out among one of the most dominant in state history and demonstrated why on Saturday afternoon when they routed Windermere, 68-36, in a Class 7A state championship game that was even more lopsided than that.
Columbus (27-3), the top-ranked team in the nation per MaxPreps, led by 46 with a running clock as the fourth quarter began before their starters exited the game.
Senior Cameron Boozer then turned and stretched his hands up high to acknowledge the Explorers’ supporters gathered in a large section of the stands at the RP Funding Center.
This was the curtain call - at least in state series competition - for him and his brother, Cayden, two of the main architects of one of the most memorable state title runs ever by a Miami-Dade County team.
It also capped a historic state tournament for South Florida, which saw Dade and Broward teams combine to win all seven classifications they participate in for the first time ever (Columbus - 7A; St. Thomas Aquinas - 6A; Blanche Ely - 5A; Stranahan - 4A; Calvary Christian - 3A; Riviera Prep - 2A; Sagemont - 1A). The last time the two counties swept all possible classes was in 1946 when there were only three.
“It took a lot of work and everyone buying in and I’m just thankful for a great group of guys and a great staff and I’m just enjoying all of it,” said Boozer, the No. 3 overall prospect in the nation who is headed to play at Duke University next season with his brother.
Columbus became only the second Dade school to win four consecutive state titles, which is one short of the state record of five in a row by both Malone and Jacksonville Arlington Country Day.
“In the interview process (when I was hired at Columbus), I told them we were going to win multiple state championships and compete for a national title…and here we are,” said Columbus coach Andrew Moran, who won his fifth state title overall and guided the Explorers to a 138-32 record over the past six seasons, including a 109-13 record since the Boozers joined the team.
“My staff and I worked really hard and so did the kids and we coached them hard and you see how they played today. It’s just been an amazing thing to experience and I think as time goes on, we’ll appreciate it a little more. This isn’t something that comes around too often. Four years of dominance and it’s been awesome.”
The Explorers’ next goal is to achieve something no other Dade team ever has - win a national championship. The closest is believed to be Miami High’s 1997-98 team, which finished the season ranked No. 2 nationally.
Columbus figures to be invited to the Chipotle Nationals to be held April 3-5 at Fishers, Indiana where it will try to cement that milestone.
“We just have to have the same mentality, to go out there and dominate,” Boozer said. “It’s the one thing in my high school career I haven’t done yet.”
Boozer finished with 20 points and nine rebounds to lead the Explorers, who stormed out to a 21-2 lead and never relented.
The game was a defensive and rebounding clinic as Columbus outrebounded Windermere 36-22 and scored 23 points off 14 turnovers.
Junior Jaxon Richardson didn’t dunk as much as he did in Friday’s semifinal (three times on Saturday), but finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and six blocks. Cayden Boozer had 12 points, six assists and three rebounds.
“It was just exciting to execute the game plan well today and limit their offensive rebounds because they usually average about 14 per game,” Richardson said. “And just executing defensively and playing well together.”
As their fans carried cardboard cutout signs that read “Dynasty” with the past four years listed around it, Columbus players reflected on what they had accomplished.
“It’s a blessing. Columbus has given me a lot of opportunities I’m so thankful for. Just winning one state championship is special but winning four is incredible,” Cayden Boozer said. “The last few years our fans were a little scared because it’s been close. But our defense took over early and we got it done. This is one of the best chemistry teams we’ve had and the best team we’ve had these past four years. The job’s not finished. We’ve got more work to do so we’re looking forward to it.”
The question in the coming weeks whether the Explorers secure a national title or not will become whether their run will extend past this season without the Boozer twins.
Richardson and fellow 2026 prospects, Cello Jackson, Caleb Gaskins and Keeper Jackson all stand to return.
But Moran has reportedly been in consideration for an assistant coaching position at the University of Miami to join recently-hired head coach Jai Lucas.
“This is what I dreamed of as a coach to compete and be a part of winning,” Moran said. “This is awesome and for my son who’s been around a lot of it. I’m excited and really happy. Me and my assistant coach Jorge (Milo), we dreamed of this and we’ve been chugging away and working for this.”
Richardson said he is determined to rally around Columbus’ returning core and keep their dynasty going.
“We have some key players coming back and I feel like that gives us the chance to do this again next year. We’ve got four and we wanna go for five.”
This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 5:08 PM.
