Cameron Boozer, Columbus claim LSI title over Harvard-Westlake after controversial finish

“They’re a great team, and we were just better today. Great vibes, great vibes.”

Author:
Bob Lundeberg
Updated:
Dec 31, 2023 5:29 AM EST
Original:
Dec 31, 2023

HILLSBORO — Harvard-Westlake and Christopher Columbus have cultivated a mini-rivalry over the past 18 months.

The first showdown occurred at the 2022 Section 7 tournament in Glendale, Arizona, with the Wolverines scoring a 55-52 comeback win. After earning state titles in California (Harvard-Westlake) and Florida (Columbus), the two coastal powers met again at Section 7 last summer in a game that went to Columbus.

The rubber match came Saturday in the Les Schwab Invitational final, and it was a doozy.

Malik Abdullahi rebounded a missed floater from Cayden Boozer and converted the putback with about three seconds remaining to give Columbus a 55-54 lead at Liberty High School. Harvard-Westlake turned it over in controversial fashion after the basket, securing the LSI title and a three-game series victory for the Explorers.

“They’re a great team,” Abdullahi said of the Wolverines (15-1), who are ranked 15th in the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25. Columbus (10-4) is ninth.

“We played them back in June and that championship game was high-level, so being able to play them in the regular season, we all knew it would be a battle. We were able to play through adversity and get the win.”

Added Cayden Boozer: “It was a hell of a win. They’re a great team, and we were just better today. Great vibes, great vibes.”

Columbus Harvard Westlake boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational December 30 2023 Naji Saker 2 -Southridge Harvard Westlake boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational postgame December 2023 Naji Saker-424

Trailing by one point with the game clock and shot clock nearly synced, the Explorers chose to hold the ball for the final shot.

Cayden Boozer drove into the lane from the right side and threw up a floater that caromed straight to Abdullahi off the backboard. The future Princeton Tiger collected the rebound and calmly scored the winning basket.

“Cayden got to the lane, and I was just there to clean up,” Abdullahi said. “As soon as I saw it go in, I was like, ‘That’s game.’”

It was the second game-winner in the past two seasons for Abdullahi, who also made a late go-ahead layup against Bronny James and Sierra Canyon at last season’s Hoophall Classic.

“Malik has been a great guy for us, a four-year player for Columbus,” five-star junior forward Cameron Boozer said. “He’s a great energy guy for us and one of our biggest pieces.”

The clock continued to run after Abdullahi’s basket, and Harvard-Westlake was granted a timeout with 2.1 seconds left after some confusion. The Wolverines thought the timeout had been awarded before the ball was inbounded, but it was actually awarded right after a desperation throw-in.

The Harvard-Westlake coaching staff was unaware of this, and the Wolverines were called for an inbound violation when Christian Horry sprinted down the baseline. Columbus ran out the final 2.1 seconds of clock as boos rained down from disappointed fans who wanted to see a dramatic finish.

“What sucks the most is it kind of feels like it was out of our hands with a call like that,” said Harvard-Westlake senior guard Robert Hinton, a four-star Harvard commit. “I feel like it’s not right to blame the refs, but when it’s out of our hands like that and … it’s not in our fate, it’s tough, for sure.”

Jase Richardson led the Explorers with 19 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Cameron Boozer, who was voted the tournament’s most valuable player, added 12 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and two assists despite a scoreless first half.

“It was about finding my rhythm, getting to the foul line and getting my shot going,” he said. “They do a great job of packing the paint, cutting out driving lanes and taking charges, so you have to find a way to score other than bashing the paint.”

Four-star junior Nikolas Khamenia paced the Wolverines with 19 points and two assists. The 6-foot-7 Khamenia played excellent defense on Cameron Boozer in relief of big man Dominique Bentho, who fouled out in just nine minutes of action. Khamenia also fouled out with 1:45 remaining.

“Our team fought amazing the whole time, and I felt we were really in control for most of the game,” said Hinton, who had 14 points and seven rebounds. “Losing at the end just sucks.”

Khamenia canned a deep 3-pointer from the Les Schwab Tires logo that put Harvard-Westlake up 45-42 early in the fourth quarter. Khamenia and Bentho fouled out with the score knotted at 52-52.

A jumper by Trent Perry gave the Wolverines a 54-53 lead with 1:35 to play, but Columbus had one last haymaker to throw.

“We just wanted to take as much time as we could … and get the best shot possible,” Cayden Boozer said of the final possession. “Malik got a really big rebound and had a really big (basket) for us. It was just a really clutch play from him.”

The Explorers, who were without head coach Andrew Moran on Saturday because of illness, netted the game’s first four points, but consecutive baskets by Khamenia put Harvard-Westlake up 5-4 late in a defensive first quarter. Cayden Boozer and Richardson had four points apiece in the period, and the Explorers led 11-10 after one.

Sixth-man Randy Smith drilled a 3-pointer early in the second quarter to put Columbus in front 16-10. The Wolverines answered with an 11-0 run that included a 3-pointer by Perry — the four-star USC signee finished with 17 points and seven rebounds — and a behind-the-back transition pass from Khamenia to Josh Engelberg.

Harvard-Westlake extended its lead to eight points in the second quarter, but Richardson's and-one to close the half made it 26-21 at the break.

Cameron Boozer made two free throws with 5:35 to play in the third quarter — his first points of the game — to pull Columbus within a point at 28-27. A 3-pointer by Cayden Boozer tied it at 32-32, and Richardson put the Explorers back in front with a basket in the paint.

Columbus opened the third quarter on a 15-6 run, but Harvard-Westlake closed the period strong to force a 40-40 tie heading to the fourth. It remained tight to the end.

Despite the tough loss, Hinton said he had an “amazing” time at the LSI.

“This was almost a dream come true,” he said. “Definitely the past few years as a younger high-schooler and middle-schooler, you see this tournament and think, ‘I wish I could play there when I get older.’ So, being here in the championship game, that’s a dream come true. I just wish we had that No. 1.”

Cayden Boozer also enjoyed his experience in Oregon.

“It was a great tournament,” he said. “A lot of great teams, great environment and definitely a very well-run tournament. It was a great experience.”

Photos by Naji Saker