Cameron Boozer and Jaxon Richardson shine vs. Darius Acuff as Columbus advances to the COP Championship game

Five-star Duke signee Cameron Boozer, alongside four-star junior Jaxon Richardson, were the heroes in Columbus Saturday's City of Palms Classic game against Darius Acuff-led IMG Academy. The two players delivered impressive performances to help the Explorers to a 77-71 victory which saw them advance to the championship game scheduled for Monday night.

6-foot-6 small forward Richardson was especially brilliant as he delivered an impressive 26 points, 17 of which came in the second half of the game to help the team complete an epic comeback. The impressive performance earned him Player of the Game honors.

Five-star prospect Cameron Boozer, who's currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, is already known for his outstanding performances game after game. His impressive showing against the Ascenders, with 22 points and 10 rebounds, served as a strong reminder of his exceptional quality.

On the other end of the court was Darius Acuff, who led the Ascenders in the intense battle against Columbus. The five-star Arkansas signee delivered an impressive 27 points and eight assists. At one point, it looked like they were going to win as they were leading 31-27 halfway through the game.

The game, which ended in a tight 77-71 finish, was a nail-biter from start to finish, with both teams trading leads and keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Columbus had a narrow two-point lead after the first quarter, with an 18-16 scoreline. However, by the second quarter, the Ascenders were leading 31-27.

The Explorers regained the lead by three points in the third quarter. Four-star small forward Jaxon Richardson was especially crucial to the comeback, scoring 11 points in the third quarter to give Columbus a 52-49 lead heading into the final quarter.

The game remained close for most of the fourth quarter. However, toward the end, Cameron Boozer scored five points to extend the Explorers' lead to eight points. The remaining few seconds of the game yielded only five points in total — two for Columbus and three for IMG Academy — cutting the deficit by just one point.

With that victory, Columbus will now proceed to the Championship game on Monday night. They will face No. 3 ranked Montverde Academy to decide the title.

Four-Star prospect Jaxon Richardson indispensable for Columbus at the City of Palms Classic

Heading into this tournament, many hoops fans understandably see Cameron Boozer as the difference-maker. However, it's Jaxon Richardson who has been drawing much of the spotlight.

Alongside Cameron, he has been crucial for the Explorers, delivering back-to-back electrifying performances. Before his 23-point brilliance against the Ascenders, he posted an impressive 17 points, three rebounds and three assists against the Grayson Rams.

So far in the tournament, Jaxon is averaging 18.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals. Hopefully, he will deliver another outstanding display in the final against Montverde Academy.