The City of Palms Classic is back for its 52nd edition, bringing the nation’s top high school basketball talent to Southwest Florida once again.
The tournament announced the 2025 field, including the defending champion Miami Columbus in what tournament director Donnie Wilkie described as one of the event’s deepest fields in a press conference on Wednesday.
The tournament, which will feature 15 of the top 50 ESPN-ranked seniors, takes place Dec. 18-23 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
“Thirty percent of the entire top 50 in the country are here under one building in December,” Wilkie said. “No other tournament does that. No other tournament even comes close.”
Despite the graduation of the Boozer twins, Cameron and Cayden who are now at Duke, Columbus is bringing back a formidable squad featuring top prospects Jaxon Richardson, Caleb Gaskins, and Felipe Quinones.
California’s St. John Bosco, featuring Tajh Ariza and Christian Collins, returns to the City of Palms for the first time in 11 years. Rainer Beach, from Washington, will make its tournament debut this year. Other marquee teams competing include Prolific Prep, Montverde Academy, St. Paul Catholic VI, and Marietta Wheeler.
“This tournament is a celebration of high school basketball from all over America and beyond,” Wilkie said.
St. Paul VI’s Jordan Smith, Prolific Prep’s Caleb Holt, Long Island Lutheran’s Dylan Mingo and Bishop McNamara’s Qayden Samuels are among the top 10-ranked seniors that will play in this year’s tournament, along with talented juniors like Prolific Prep’s Bruce Branch III, Bella Vista’s Paul Osaruyi, and LuHi’s Moussa Kamissoko.
Sarasota, led by head coach B.J. Ivey, was selected as this year’s local entrant in the main bracket, and the Sailors will take on Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) at 7 p.m. on opening night. Sarasota is led by 6-foot junior Johnny Lackaff, a sharpshooter who has offers from Florida State, FGCU, Jacksonville, and Duquesne.
Ivey previously coached and played in the City of Palms with Sarasota Riverview. He has led Sarasota to a 73-12 record over the last three seasons.
“Nothing is going to get you battle tested like playing in the City of Palms,” he said. “I mean, you’re going to play the best of the best, and whatever weaknesses you have are going to get exposed. The things that you thought were your strengths are going to be humbled, so you’re going to really have to learn how to get better and grow from it, so I think that’s the thing that we’re the most excited about.”
Bishop Verot will be back for a third consecutive season to defend its title in the Hugh Thimlar Tribute Game after downing Charlotte 59-43 last year. Led by 27-year head coach Matt Herting, the Vikings are young after graduating key performers like Jerry Ashley and Gavin Williams, but Herting is encouraged to move forward with this group.
“I just think there’s room for growth,” he said. “I think with the younger kids, the room for growth, the room to learn, to really evolve. I think that’s going to be exciting, seeing where we can go and where the future takes us.”
Point guard Bryan Broomfield is the lone returning starter for Verot, and 6-foot-3 senior Mark Braxley will join as one of the team’s other upperclassmen. Herting expects 6-foot-4 Julius Calixte, who will help fill Ashley’s role, to be one of the top sophomores in the area.
The Vikings will take on Barron Collier, the first Collier County public school that will play in the City of Palms since Lely competed in the event 21 years ago. The Cougars have won four consecutive district championships under head coach David Watts.
“Everybody wants to play in the City of Palms,” Watts said. “I’m just grateful that we had this opportunity. This is really going to help this program. We’re not just playing for Baron Collier, we’re playing for Collier County, and we’re playing against a tremendous program.”
The Cougars return Miles Walker, Jay Milne, and Vito DiPalma and bring in a high-impact transfer in Sam Powell from Golden Gate. The 6-foot-5 senior averaged 22.5 points and 8.3 rebounds at Golden Gate last season.
“He’s skilled, and a lot of guys you see with a lot of size aren’t as skilled,” Watts said of Powell. “Not only is he skilled, he’s a leader, and, to have a good program, it takes a good leader to lead.”
Wilkie described the tournament’s Signature Series bracket as one of the strongest in the event’s history. Prolific Prep, CIA Bella Vista, Montverde, and Gillion Academy will take part.
The Sunshine Series will feature St. Thomas Aquinas, Victory Christian, Notre Dame (Conn.), and Olympia.
Teams in the 2024 City of Palms Classic
Main Bracket
Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.)
Bartlett (Tenn.)
Bishop McNamara (Md.)
Calvary Christian
Christopher Columbus
Imhotep Charter (Pa.)
Owasso (Okla.)
Paul VI (Va.)
Petersburg (Va.)
Principia (Mo.)
Ranier Beach (Wash.)
Sarasota
St. John Bosco (Calif.)
The Villages
Wheeler (Ga.)
Signature Series
CIA-Bella Vista (Ariz.)
Gillion (Va.)
Montverde
Prolific Prep
Sunshine Series
Orlando Olympia
Notre Dame (Conn.)
St. Thomas Aquinas
Victory Christian
Hugh Thimlar Tribute game
Barron Collier
Bishop Verot
Tournament Schedule
Thursday, Dec. 18
1:45 p.m. – Game 1: Philadelphia Imhotep vs. Petersburg (Va.)
3:30 p.m. – Game 2: Chantily Paul VI (Va.) vs. Seattle Rainier Beach
5:15 p.m.- Game 3: Calvary Christian vs. Tulsa Owasso
7 p.m. – Game 4: Sarasota vs. Archbishop Stepinac (N.J.)
8:45 p.m. – Game 5: Miami Columbus vs. St. Louis Principia
Friday, Dec. 19
10:15 a.m. – Game 6: Consolation Game 1: Game 1 loser vs. Game 4 loser
Noon – Game 7: Long Island Lutheran vs. Bartlett (Tenn.)
1:45 p.m. – Game 8: Signature Series: Prolific Prep vs. Phoenix CIA-Bella Vista
3:30 p.m. – Game 9: Signature Series: Monteverde Academy vs. Alexandria Gillion Academy
5:15 p.m. – Game 10: Bishop McNamara (Md.) vs. Marietta Wheeler (Ga.)
7 p.m. – Game 11: St. John Bosco (Calif.) vs. The Villages
8:45 p.m. – Game 12: Quarterfinal: Game 3 winner vs. Game 2 Winner
Saturday, Dec. 20
9 a.m. – Game 13: Consolation: Game 7 loser vs. Game 3 loser
10:40 a.m. – Game 14: Consolation: Game 2 loser vs. Game 10 loser
12:20 p.m. – Game 15: Consolation: Game 5 loser vs. Game 11 loser
2 p.m. – Game 16: Sunshine Series: St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Victory Christian
3:45 p.m. – Game 17: Sunshine Series: Notre Dame (Conn.) vs. Olympia
5:30 p.m. – Game 18: Quarterfinal: Game 5 winner vs. Game 10 winner
7:15 p.m. – Game 19: Quarterfinal: Game 7 winner vs. Game 1 winner
9 p.m. – Game 20: Quarterfinal: Game 11 winner vs. Game 4 winner
Sunday, Dec. 21
11 a.m. – Game 21: Sunshine Series Third-Place: Game 16 loser vs. Game 17 loser
12:45 p.m. – Game 22: Signature Series Third-Place: Game 8 loser vs. Game 9 loser
2:30 p.m. – Game 23: Sunshine Series Final: Game 16 winner vs. Game 17 winner
4:15 p.m. – Game 24: Signature Series Final: Game 9 winner vs. Game 8 winner
5:50 p.m. – City of Palms Hall of Fame
6:20 p.m. – North Law Firm Three-Point Shootout
7 p.m. – Slam Dunk Championship
8:20 p.m. – Game 25: Hugh Thimlar Tribute: Bishop Verot vs. Barron Collier
Monday, Dec. 22
10 a.m. – Game 26: Consolation Semifinal: Game 6 winner vs. Game 15 winner
11:45 a.m. – Game 27: Consolation Semifinal: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner
1:30 p.m. – Game 28: Fifth-Place Semifinal: Game 19 loser vs. Game 12 loser
3:15 p.m. – Game 29: Fifth-Place Semifinal: Game 20 loser vs. Game 18 loser
6 p.m. – Game 30: Semifinal: Game 18 winner vs. Game 12 winner
8 p.m. – Game 31: Semifinal: Game 19 winner vs. Game 20 winner
Tuesday, Dec. 23
10 a.m. – Game 32: Challenge Round: TBA
11:45 a.m. – Game 33: Challenge Round: TBA
1:30 p.m. – Game 34: Consolation Championship: Game 26 winner vs. Game 27 winner
3:15 p.m. – Game 35: Fifth-Place Championship: Game 29 winner vs. Game 28 winner
6 p.m. – Game 36: Third-Place Game: Game 30 loser vs. Game 31 loser
8 p.m. – Game 37: Championship Game: Game 30 winner vs. Game 31 winner
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Here are the teams competing at the 2025 City of Palms Classic Basketball Tournament
Reporting by Dustin B Levy, Fort Myers News-Press / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
