Columbus romps past Evans: Live score updates; FHSAA 7A boys basketball state semifinals (3/8/2024)
LAKELAND, FLORIDA – A spot in the state championship game is on the line as Columbus (Miami) and Evans (Apopka) clash in a FHSAA Class 6A girls basketball state semifinal contest at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
The winner advances to Saturday's Class 7A state final where they will meet the winner of Thursday's other semifinal game between Winter Haven and Oak Ridge. The FHSAA 7A Boys Basketball Championship Game will also take place at the RP Funding Center with tip-off scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
FLORIDA BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
Follow this post throughout the evening, refreshing constantly for Live Scoring updates.
Below is our Live Update Feed created and updated as the contest progresses. Read from the bottom up to follow the action chronologically from beginning to end.
Live Updates:
FINAL: COLUMBUS 76, EVANS 56
- Columbus shot 59.6 % from the floor and was 9-of-17 from beyond the arc. The Explorers out-rebounded the Trojans 22-15 and never trailed.
- Cameron Boozer shows once again why he is one of the top players in the nation, as he scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. He also had 2 assists and a pair of blocks.
- Jase Richardson and Benny Fragela scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, while Cayden Boozer finished 9 points and a brilliant 10 assists.
- Arosco Dubois did all he could for Evans, scoring a game-high 33 points. His eight 3-pointers tied a school record and his bid for a record nine missed at the buzzer.
4TH QUARTER
- Cameron Boozer hits one more layup to finish with 29 points and the clock runs out. Columbus wins in impressive fashion, 76-56, and moves on to Saturday's Class 7A state championship game.
- David Rushing hits two jumpers, one from beyond the arc for a quick five points for Evans. 74-56 with 19 seconds left.
- Benny Fragela now has four 3-pointers as he hits another for Columbus. It's 74-51.
- Cayden adds a jumper for the Explorers, who lead 71-51 with 1:50 left.
- Columbus is 2:16 away from reaching another state final and winning its 20th consecutive game.
- Arosco Dubois just tied the Evans school record for the most 3-pointers in a game with eight. He has 33 points!
- Cameron Boozer adds a pair with a layup and hits the And-One. He has 27. Explorers in control, 69-48. 3:47
- Evans calls timeout with 4:30 remaining.
- Randy Smith and Wincleff Jeantilus trade 3-pointers. Columbus leads 66-48. 4:36 left in the contest.
- Randy Smith hits a layup for Columbus and Arosco Dubois reach 30 points with another three. 63-45.
- Jase Richardson gets the scoring started in the final quarter for Columbus with a layup. He has 13. Explorers extend their lead to 19 with 6:54 left, 61-42.
3RD QUARTER
- Dubois adds two more with 4 seconds left on a layup. He has 27, but his team trails after three quarters, 59-42.
- Cameron Boozer with authority, gets a dunk. 59-40 in the final minute of the quarter.
- Cameron Boozer gets fouled and goes back to the line and hits 1-of-2. He has 22. Explorers up 17, 57-40. 1:33 to play in the third.
- Time out Columbus. 2:13.
- Antonio Pollard slams two through the hoop for Evans which trails 56-40. 2:20 remaining in a fast-moving third quarter.
- Wicleff Jeantilus with a jumper. Evans trails 56-38.
- Cameron Boozer goes over 20 points (21) with a layup, but Arosco Dubois hits another 3-pointer for Evans. He has 25. Explorers up by 20, 56-36. 3:41 to play in the quarter.
- Wicleff Jeantilus gets Evans' first points for the second half with a 3-pointer. 52-33.
- Cameron Boozer adds two more from the line. He has 19. 54-30 with 5:24 remaining in the third.
- Abdullahi with another dunk on a perfect feed from Richardson. Explorers are rolling now, 52-30.
- Cayden Boozer assists on a Richardson basket, who now has 11. 50-30 Explorers.
- Jase Richardson score on a drive and Malik Abdullahi adds his second dunk. Columbus jumps up by 18. It's 48-30 with 7:13 left in the third quarter.
- Cameron Boozer gets to the line quickly to start the second half and hits 1-of-2. 44-30 Explorers.
HALFTIME: COLUMBUS 43, EVANS 30
- The first half was been quite entertaining. Evans' Arosco Dubois put on a show with six 3-pointers and he leads all scorers with 22 points. No other Trojan has more than four.
- Cameron Boozer netted a team-high 16 points for Columbus and Benny Fragela has 9 off of three 3-pointers.
- Cayden Boozer and Jase Richardson each have 7 for the Explorers. Cameron Boozer leads everyone with 8 rebounds.
2ND QUARTER
- That will bring a close to an NBA-style first half. Columbus goes to the break with a 43-30 advantage.
- Cayden Boozer drives for a score. Columbus back up by 13, 43-30 with 1:32 to play in the first half.
- Dubois adds two more from the free throw line. 41-30 Columbus.
- Evans Antonio Pollard scores his first basket and Cameron Boozer counters with a 3-pointer. Columbus builds a 13-point lead, 41-28. 2:22.
- Cameron Boozer and Abdullahi go back-to-back. Explorers up 38-26. 3:19 left in the half.
- Arosco Dubois can't miss. He hits his sixth trey. He has 20! Evans back within 8. 34-26.
- Malik Abdullahi first basket and a layup by Cameron Boozer extends a 9-0 run by Columbus. 34-23.
- Cayden Boozer adds two more. Explorers lead 30-23. 5:43 left in the half.
- Cayden Boozer with his first 3-pointer. He has five. Columbus back up by five. 28-23.
- David Rushing connects for two for Evans, Cameron Boozer drains a three and Dubois hits fifth three pointer for the Trojans. It's heating up here in the second. Columbus, 25-23.
1ST QUARTER
- That's how the opening quarter ends with Columbus holding a 22-18 lead.
- Cameron Boozer has two after a layup and Dubois hits a jumper for two for Evans. 22-18 Explores with 0:45 left in the first quarter.
- Evans gets two for Dixon and another three from the red-hot Dubois. Trojans back within four, 20-16. 1:07.
- Cayden Boozer scores for Columbus. Explorers up 20-11. 2:01.
- Two more threes! Arosco Dubois with this third for Evans and Benny Fragela with his third for Columbus, which leads 18-11.
- Benny Fragela drains his second 3 for the Explorers. They lead 15-8. 3:51 left in the first.
- Dewayne Dixon hits a layup for Evans. His first points. 12-8 Columbus.
- Jase Richardson and Cameron Boozer each hit jumpers. It's 12-6 Explorers. 4:40.
- Carlos Boozer collects his first dunk. Columbus leads 8-6.
- We've got four 3-points in the first minute of play, two by each team. We're tied. 6-6.
- Just minutes away from tip-off here at the RP Funding Center for the 7A state semifinals.
COLUMBUS VS. EVANS
- Tip-off is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
