Just two days after beating the No. 3 team in the country, Columbus looked to do one better against No. 2 Paul VI. The Explorers led for much of the second half on Monday at the Hoophall Classic, but were struggling to pull away from one of the best teams in the country.
Yet the Explorers wanted to prove that they, too, deserved that distinction as a top team in the nation.
Paul VI cut the score to a one-possession game with about a minute-and-a-half left when Jase Richardson caught a pass on the left corner. The southpaw put up a shot, got hit, and made the basket. He sunk the free throw to push the lead to seven, and Paul VI’s desperation play in the closing minute couldn’t gain any more distance. Columbus won 70-61.
Watch Richardson’s 3-pointer here:
Jase Richardson 4-point play! JRich approves 🔥
No. 5 Columbus def. no. 3 Paul VI 70-61! pic.twitter.com/EodEOZGCgB— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) January 15, 2024
Richardson, the son of former NBA player Jason Richardson, finished with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Cameron Boozer, the top player in the class of 2025 and son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer, finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks for Columbus.
With the win, Columbus improved its record to 16-4 and now has wins over No. 2 Paul VI, No. 3 Long Island Lutheran, and No. 4 Harvard-Westlake under its belt, setting the stage for a massive ranking jump this week. Paul VI falls to 14-2 on the year.