FHSAA Final 4 Class 7A Recap

Columbus captured its fifth consecutive state championship on Saturday night with a hard-fought victory over Sarasota High. The Explorers, led by first-year head coach Jorge Milo, proved the program's dominance extends beyond the Boozer era, winning the title without former stars and current Duke standouts Cameron and Cayden Boozer. Here is a look at some of the standout performances from the Class 7A state championship matchup.    The future Miami Hurricane and McDonald's All-American delivered two double-digit scoring performances for the Explorers, showing once again why he projects to make an immediate impact in the ACC next season. The versatile forward used his size, strength, and athleticism to score efficiently while impacting the game in multiple areas. Continued development of his perimeter shooting will make him an even more difficult matchup at the next level.     The highly skilled guard averaged over 20 points per game in Jacksonville for the Sailors and consistently proved to be one of the event's most dangerous offensive threats. While known for his shot-making ability, Lackaff also showcased his ability to create offense off the dribble against two of the state's top programs. He moves well without the ball, plays with toughness, and displays a very high basketball IQ. Expect his recruitment to gain significant momentum in the coming months.     Quinones led Columbus in scoring during the two victories, averaging 16 points per game and providing a steady offensive presence for the Explorers. The combo guard possesses good positional size, a high basketball IQ, and the ability to make shots from the perimeter while also creating opportunities off the dribble. He plays with poise, understands how to operate within the flow of the offense, and consistently makes smart decisions with the basketball. With his skill set and feel for the game, the FAU commit projects to have a bright future in Boca Raton.     The junior played some of his best basketball of the season this weekend for Sarasota High. Jenkins brings good size and strength to the backcourt and showed the ability to impact the game in multiple ways. He proved capable of scoring at all three levels while also serving as a secondary ball-handling option within the offense. Jenkins also held his own on the defensive end, using his physicality and awareness to compete on that side of the floor. With his continued development, expect this prospect's stock to trend upward over the next 12 months.     One of the nation's top freshmen, Gaskins showed improved decision-making throughout the weekend and delivered a key performance in the championship game against Sarasota, finishing with 11 points. He possesses high-level size and strength for his age, along with a steadily developing offensive skill set. Gaskins impacts the game in multiple ways, particularly with his ability to defend and rebound at a high level. As his offensive game continues to evolve, he projects as one of the top recruits nationally in the 2029 class.     Bynoe is a quick, highly skilled guard who finished with 15 points in the semifinal loss to Sarasota. The junior plays with a high basketball IQ and is a very capable perimeter shot maker, showing the ability to stretch the floor and score in a variety of ways. He possesses impressive ball-handling skills and is a creative finisher when he gets into the paint, using his quickness and craft to navigate traffic. Bynoe's ability to score while also creating opportunities for himself off the dribble makes him a difficult matchup for defenders. As he continues to develop physically, he projects as an intriguing backcourt prospect moving forward.     The Yale commit turned in one of his best performances of the season, finishing with 12 points and four rebounds in the semifinal. Winkler brings good mobility to the frontcourt and has the athleticism to finish above the rim when given opportunities around the basket. He also showed touch in the midrange and the ability to score facing the basket. With his combination of size, athleticism, and developing offensive skill set, Winkler's best basketball is still ahead of him as he prepares for the next level.     The senior guard was a bright spot for the Rams in their semifinal loss to Columbus. Ceynowa plays with a high basketball IQ and consistently showed the ability to make sound decisions with the ball in his hands. He is a reliable perimeter shot maker who can stretch the floor and knock down open looks.

Columbus captured its fifth consecutive state championship on Saturday night with a hard-fought victory over Sarasota High. The Explorers, led by first-year head coach Jorge Milo, proved the program's dominance extends beyond the Boozer era, winning the title without former stars and current Duke standouts Cameron and Cayden Boozer. Here is a look at some of the standout performances from the Class 7A state championship matchup.