Columbia Tigers outlasted by Buchholz in districts

It was a chilly evening in Lake City, but that didn’t stop either team from bringing the heat. The Columbia Tigers (13-12) faced off against the Buchholz Bobcats (12-13) in a battle of the cats for a spot in the district semifinal. In two meetings this season, Columbia won both by a combined margin of only seven points with the latest matchup going to overtime. Furthermore, the stage was set for an exhilarating game of basketball.

I’m in Lake City where the Columbia Tigers are taking on the Bucholz Bobcats in their district tournament matchup. The atmosphere is eccentric! @ESPNGainesville @ThePrepZone @RAWE_RECRUITS pic.twitter.com/UofCGS7t25

— Jake Bower (@Jbow2745) February 9, 2022

A First Half to Remember

The student section, cheerleaders and parents made this game one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. The Columbia Tigers gymnasium was rocking from the tipoff; both teams were full of energy. Junior standout point guard Issac Broxey got the crowd on their feet with a pair of triples to start out the game. Daryus Boyd answered with a three of his own and the game was well underway. After a very intense first quarter, Buchholz led 18-12.

The second quarter is where things really started to kickoff. Issac Broxey lit up the whole gymnasium when he drilled a three while being fouled for a four-point play opportunity. The 6 foot 1 junior was counted on in all key moments for the Tigers leading into this game. In a quarter where his team struggled offensively, Broxey shined. “We went through stretches where we struggled to score” and Broxey “kept us going at least a little bit” Columbia Head Coach Steve Faulkner said. He also commented on the future of Broxey.

“He’s really turning the corner and going to be a real good player in the future.”

Columbia cut the deficit to 4 and trailed 29-33 at the end of the first half.

Third Quarter Battle

The third quarter is where it started to go wrong for Columbia. Buchholz transitioned to a zone defense to ensure Issac Broxey would not be isolated. Coach Faulkner noted that his team has struggled against the zone this season. The 1-2 punch of Buchholz’s Tyler Gainey and Daryus Boyd was too much to handle as they padded their lead. In the first four minutes of the third quarter, the Bobcats went on a 12-2 run, which extended their lead to 14 points. Just as things started to go in the wrong direction, Coach Faulkner called a timeout with 4 minutes left.

After the timeout, Broxey nailed a tough pull-up jumper, but then everything changed. Next, the Tigers went into a full-court press and chaos ensued. It was steal after steal that brought momentum to the home team. A couple of emphatic dunks by Senior Marcus Peterson had the entire gymnasium rocking. They were able to cut the lead to just one point before Tyler Gainey and Hayden Findley each connected on a layup. Here’s what Tigers Coach Steve Faulkner said about their run in the third quarter.

Tigers trail by 5 at the end of the third. Here’s what head coach Steve Faulkner had to say. pic.twitter.com/RlgYncR0am

— Jake Bower (@Jbow2745) February 9, 2022

Fourth Quarter Chaos

The fourth quarter was almost one to remember for Columbia. Despite coming within 3 points multiple times, they were never able to take the lead. The Bobcats eventually became accustomed to their press and used it to their advantage. With only a few minutes remaining in the game, Columbia didn’t connect on any of their three-point attempts. Colson Orth hit a clutch three and then drew a game-clinching charge to seal the deal for the Bobcats.

Coach Faulkner says that his team can still hang their heads high after an impressive season. “What they never lacked was their effort … anything I told them to do, they did.”

What’s Next

The Columbia Tigers finish the season 13-13. Buchholz will take on #1 seed Fleming Island for a chance to play in the district championship.