The Boys High School basketball team lost against Colegio Nueva Granada 48-40, blowing a ten-point lead in the last five minutes of the game in the finals of the ACCAS tournament March 16-19 in Cali.

Even though CNG won by 8 points, the game was a close one with TCS ahead by a basket at the end of the 3rd quarter and with 5 minutes left, Columbus was up by 10.

“The last minutes were tough. The same 5 players had been playing all game, and the fatigue got to them,” Yerson Gomez, Boys HS Basketball Coach, said.

Pool play was smooth sailing for the Columbus team, with four games each was won by more than 10 points. Their record at the end of the tournament was 4-2 with both losses coming at the hands of CNG.

“When they get an offensive rhythm on offense, the TCS is easily the best team in binationals,” Tomas Jaramillo, Colegio Bolivar Basketball player, said.

The first loss to the CNG in the classification round was by 33 points. These games helped the TCS analyze the CNGs play and develop a strategy to beat them in the finals.

“We noticed that we had to have a more tough style of play with the CNG. They played a much more tactical game, but that play was weakened when we played street ball” Tomas Galeano, Grade 10, said.

CNGs basketball roster mainly consists of North Americans whose parents work in Bogota. Including the assistants and coach, the CNGs roster consisted of more than 6 American players.

“Half of the players were from the U.S so they were really good, and they played a really different game than ours. They played a very tactical game,” Esteban Botero, TCS Captain, said.

Esteban Botero and Mateo Zarate, Grade 11, finished in first and second place for the most points scored in the tournament. Botero finished first with 82 points and Zarate with 69.

 “I was the person who scored the most points, and I think it’s an honor, but it’s not only my trophy, it’s the entire team’s award. We worked hard to make that happen, the team assists and chemistry, all of those things built up and made me win that award,” Botero, said.

The finals of the last three ACCAS tournament history have seen CNG defeat Columbus. 

 “To win next year we need to get stronger, practice more, have more discipline, stay united as a team, and hopefully that will get us to the championship next year,” Botero, said.