Columbus wins its fifth straight FHSAA Class 7A boys basketball championship in a 53-50 win over Sarasota

Columbus wins its fifth straight FHSAA Class 7A boys basketball championship in a 53-50 win over Sarasota originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . JACKSONVILLE, Florida, March 13 — Felipe Quinones connected on a trio of three-pointers, scoring 15 points along the way to lead the Columbus [Miami, FL] Explorers to their fifth straight Florida FHSAA Class 7A state championship in a 53-50 win over the Sarasota [FL] Sailors.

Quinones and the Gaskin brothers – Caleb and Cayden – were among the stars leading the way for the Explorers (26-6) who won The Sporting News Boys Basketball National Championship a year ago. They are out of the running for this year's national title, but they'll still participate in The Throne tournament next week in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The senior Gaskin, Caleb, will then continue his career at the University of Miami next fall, staying close to home to play for the hometown Hurricanes.

Sarasota's season, meanwhile, comes to a close at 25-7, after giving the heavily-favored Explorers a run for their money. STREAM: Watch Florida's FHSAA boys basketball Class 7A state championship game on the NFHS Network __________ Refresh for updates __________ FINAL — Columbus 53, Sarasota 50 __________ It's over, and Columbus wins its fifth straight FHSAA Class 7A state championship! __________ It's 53-50, Columbus.

But that tech gives Sarasota a chance. __________ Sarasota turns it over again, and has to foul again. But a Columbus player is called for a tech afterward, so both teams will shoot two free throws.