Columbus and St. John's Vianney Regional win The Throne basketball championships

Caleb Gaskins dominance and a miraculous 3-pointer lead to titles

Mar. 21, 2026 at 10:05pm

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The Columbus Explorers (Miami, FL) and St. John's Vianney Regional Lancers (Holmdel, NJ) won the boys and girls national prep basketball tournament, The Throne, by defeating Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, NY) in the championship games. The Lancers won 71-68 in double overtime, with a last-second 3-pointer to tie the game and force overtime. The Explorers won 66-55 behind a dominant performance from Caleb Gaskins, who averaged 27 points and 10.7 rebounds over the tournament.

Why it matters

The Throne is a prestigious national high school basketball tournament, and winning it is a major accomplishment for these programs. The victories showcase the talent and determination of the players, as well as the strength of the basketball programs at Columbus and St. John's Vianney Regional.

The details

In the girls championship, St. John's Vianney Regional trailed Long Island Lutheran by four points with 20 seconds left in regulation, but a miraculous 3-pointer by Madison Kocis tied the game at 55 and sent it to overtime. In the second overtime, Taylor Sofilkanich had a near triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 9 blocks, including a key block and layup that gave the Lancers a late lead they would not relinquish. On the boys side, Columbus Explorers star Caleb Gaskins dominated the tournament, averaging 27 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and at least one block per game. He had 28 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and a block in the championship game, leading the Explorers to a 66-55 win over Long Island Lutheran.

  • The Throne national prep basketball tournament took place in March 2026.

The players

Caleb Gaskins

A star player for the Columbus Explorers who averaged 27 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and at least one block per game in the tournament.

Taylor Sofilkanich

A key player for the St. John's Vianney Regional Lancers, who had a near triple-double in the girls championship game with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 9 blocks.

Madison Kocis

A player for the St. John's Vianney Regional Lancers who hit a miraculous 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in regulation to tie the girls championship game and send it to overtime.

Emily McDonald

A player for the Long Island Lutheran girls team who scored a game-high 25 points and had 10 rebounds in the championship game.

Savannah Swords

A player for the Long Island Lutheran girls team who had 16 points and 8 rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth quarter of the championship game.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

The victories by Columbus and St. John's Vianney Regional showcase the incredible talent and determination of high school basketball players across the country, as they compete at the highest level to win prestigious national championships.