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"I knew it was going in": Carlos Boozer's son Cayden Boozer reflects on his buzzer beater shot at the Chipotle Nationals semifinals

Modified Apr 05, 2025 18:16 GMT

Columbus High School progressed to the final of the Chipotle Nationals after beating Brewster Academy 47-45, thanks to a buzzer-beater from Duke basketball signee Cayden Boozer on Friday.

The semifinal clash appeared to be heading to overtime, but Boozer was not having that as his shot went in at the buzzer.

It was a difficult shot to pull off given the circumstances, but Boozer says he was sure that his shot would go in immediately after the ball left his hands.

Speaking in the post-game interview, shared by SportsCenter Next on Instagram, the 17-year-old was brimming with confidence after his feat.

When asked about how he felt about his game-winner, he admitted that he was sure that he was going to make the bucket because he had been in similar situations during practice.

“We do one-on-ones in practice, and I go up against Cameron and Caleb, and I have to take those shots against those guys. I've got to get it really high. I knew it was an easy shot for me, and I knew it was going in," the Duke recruit said.

How it unfolded between Columbus and Brewster

The Boozer Brothers, Cayden and Cameron, entered the game against Brewster on the back of a combined 49-point haul against Wasatch Academy in the quarterfinals. However, the game against Brewster Academy turned out to be a low-scoring affair, with the Boozer brothers combining for 24 points.

Brewster Academy put up a solid fight against Columbus, and it seemed like the game would drag into overtime after Brewster converted a 3-pointer from the corner with 10 seconds left on the clock.

However, Boozer had other ideas, as he dribbled to the free-throw line and unleashed a contested two-point shot over two Brewster Academy defenders at the buzzer. This sealed a 47-45 win for Columbus High School, sending the whole arena into ecstasy.

The Duke recruit was close to getting a double-double, as he finished the game with nine points and nine assists. Even though Cameron finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, Cayden stole the spotlight.

In the other semifinal game, Prolific Prep lost to 10th-seeded Dynamic Prep. This means that Columbus High School will face Dynamic Prep in the final of the Chipotle Nationals on Saturday.

Cayden will be looking to win the Chipotle Nationals with his high school as he prepares for NCAA basketball with the Duke Blue Devils.

About the author

Oluwajoba is a High School Sports writer with more than eight years of experience in the field. Oluwajoba is a graduate of Agricultural Economics and Extension from the Federal University of Technology Akure.

Oluwajoba has written for publications such as Soccernet and Pulsesports (as Chief Editor and Managing Editor) and was nominated for Football Journalist of the Year in 2019.

While he is a Dallas Mavericks fan, mainly due to Luka Doncic, Oluwajoba's favorite sporting moment came when LeBron James helped the Cleveland Cavaliers get past the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

When not at work or watching sports, Oluwajoba can likely be found enjoying a movie.

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