The 51st Annual City of Palms Classic officially kicked off on Thursday, showcasing eight nationally ranked teams in the Top 25 and featuring 40 of the country’s Top 100 high school players in sunny Southwest Florida.
Long Island Lutheran’s Comeback Victory
In a notable comeback following a tough 64-60 defeat to Owasso (Oklahoma) on Wednesday, Long Island Lutheran triumphed with a resounding 93-57 victory over Gateway Charter on Thursday, advancing to the Consolation semifinals scheduled for Saturday at 8:00 a.m.
The Raiders, with a 5-4 record, showcased their prowess led by 6-3 junior point guard Dylan Mingo, who lit up the scoreboard with a game-high of 30 points, alongside 7 rebounds and 10 assists. Sophomore power forward Moussa Kamissoko contributed significantly with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. Additionally, Penn State signee Kayden Mingo added 16 points, hitting 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range.
Gateway Charter (7-4) was led by 6-1 senior combo guard Trey Fogle, who managed 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting, complemented by three rebounds and three assists. 6-1 senior point guard Giordan Easley also contributed with 11 points, scoring 5-of-12 from the field and 1-of-5 from deep.
Gateway Charter is set to participate in the City of Palms Challenge Round on Monday, with their opponent yet to be determined.
Gibbs Gladiators’ Dominant Performance
The reigning Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 4A Champion Gibbs Gladiators dominated from the outset, cruising to a 76-45 victory over Mater Dei on Thursday afternoon.
Gibbs (5-2) had four players in double figures, spearheaded by 6-3 sophomore guard O’Neal Delancy, who posted a game-high 22 points with three rebounds, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range.
Senior point guard Jacob Daniels added 19 points, with an impressive perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. The Gladiators also saw notable double-doubles from 6-10 junior center Mike Broxton (10 points and 11 rebounds) and 6-8 senior power forward Bobby Crawford, who contributed 14 points and nine rebounds.
The Gladiators now advance to the Sunshine Series Championship Game, where they will face either Edgewater or St. Joseph (California) on Saturday at 4:20 p.m.
Mater Dei’s Struggles
Mater Dei (7-3) struggled offensively during the second quarter, managing only one field goal in the initial 6:30 of play. They were outscored by Gibbs 12-5 in that frame, heading into halftime down 30-18.
The Monarchs had 6-4 junior guard Luke Barnett leading the charge with 16 points, albeit on 6-of-14 shooting, along with eight rebounds and three assists in the loss.
6-7 freshman small forward Evan Willis contributed 9 points and six rebounds for the Monarchs.
Mater Dei is set to take on the St. Joseph (California)-Edgewater loser in the Sunshine Series 3rd Place Game on Saturday at 11:20 a.m.
St. Joseph Knights’ Impressive Debut
In another highlight of the day, the St. Joseph Knights made their debut at the City of Palms Classic, with 6-0 sophomore guard Malcolm Price shining in the first half, pouring in 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting and hitting 3-of-4 from deep. Price concluded the game with 20 points, shooting 7-of-10 overall and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
St. Joseph (8-0), currently ranked No. 12 nationally per SportsCenter NEXT, was further bolstered by 6-6 senior forward Tounde Yessoufou, a Baylor commit, who led all scorers with 24 points, alongside five rebounds and three steals.
“The first half felt like a boxing match as we were trying to figure out matchups and what they were doing defensively,” said Head Coach Tom Mott after the victory.
Mott commented on their upcoming match against Gibbs, saying, “We’re going to have to play four full quarters, watching them play Mater Dei and take them apart, so we are going into that game with high respect. We’ll have two days to prepare, and we’ll be ready.”
St. Joseph is set to face Gibbs in the Sunshine Series Championship Game on Saturday at 4:20 p.m.
Edgewater’s Performance
Edgewater (5-3) was led by UNC-Asheville signee Myles Mayfield and Kennesaw State signee Darius Washington, both contributing 14 points. Additionally, 6-1 junior point guard Dylan Foster added eight points and three rebounds for the Eagles in their loss.
Edgewater will compete against Mater Dei (California) in the Sunshine Series 3rd Place Game on Saturday at 11:20 a.m.
Oak Ridge Pioneers’ Strong Showing
The Oak Ridge Pioneers, currently ranked No. 17 in the SBLive/SI Top 25 National Boys High School Basketball Rankings, led throughout their matchup to secure a spot in the Quarterfinals against Owasso (Oklahoma) on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
“Zay (Mosley) is special when you have 16 rebounds, Jalen having 10 assists, Jamier’s energy was through the roof and the guys were most importantly having fun,” reflected Head Coach Steven Reece following their win.
“It’s easy with this group of kids who’ve played together since fifth grade; everyone was cheering for one another, and witnessing their growth has been a real joy,” added Reece.
Oak Ridge (6-1) was powered by 6-7 senior forward Jamier Jones, a Providence commit, who scored 25 points, accompanied by 8 rebounds and 9 assists. Stephen F. Austin signee Treyvon Maddox also made significant contributions with 23 points and two rebounds in the victory.
Bishop McNamara’s Struggles
Bishop McNamara (0-7) was spearheaded by sophomore point guard Kirby Duran, who tallied a team-high 21 points on a remarkable 7-of-9 shooting from the floor and 5-of-6 from three-point range. Additionally, 6-8 sophomore power forward Brandon Woodard contributed 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the Mustangs’ defeat.
The Mustangs are set to face Faith Family (Texas) in the Consolation Bracket on Friday at 9:00 a.m.
IMG Academy Stages Impressive Comeback
The IMG Academy Ascenders staged a comeback from a 16-point deficit in the second half, led by Arkansas signee Darius Acuff Jr., who finished with an impressive 38 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Faith Family Academy jumped to a 22-15 lead after the first quarter and maintained a 39-26 advantage at halftime.
With a record of 7-2, IMG Academy had only two players reach double digits in scoring; 6-4 junior point guard Felipe Quinones recorded 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, along with three rebounds and two assists to help secure the win.
The Ascenders will take on La Lumiere (Indiana) in the Quarterfinals on Friday at 9:00 p.m.
“We’ve been really good at initial defense where if we have 30 more possessions than the other team, we should win but we will take it,” IMG Academy head coach Sean McAloon remarked after the match.
“Our league is a gauntlet, and I feel like this is the toughest road to a City of Palms title I’ve had in my seven-plus years here,” McAloon added.
“Coming here two years ago was the transition I wanted to take, which was being a leader, and being more coachable,” Acuff said following the game.
Faith Family Academy (9-4) will match up against Bishop McNamara (Maryland) in the Consolation Bracket on Friday at 9:00 a.m.
Explorers Control Early Against Warhawks
The Eagles saw 6-8 junior power forward Davion Adkins lead their team with 26 points, going 11-of-15 from the field, including the critical game-tying shot that forced double overtime.
6-4 senior small forward Lamont Hartfield added 15 points, along with four rebounds and six assists in the Eagles’ loss.
The Explorers took control early, led by Duke commit Cameron Boozer, who scored 23 points and secured nine rebounds. Their strong defense effectively limited the Warhawks to their lowest point total of the season.
Explorers’ 6-6 junior small forward Jase Richardson added 16 points, completing an impressive 8-of-9 shooting from the field, while Cayden Boozer (also a Duke commit) matched his scoring with 16 points as well.
“Good things happen when we attack the paint or kick out for the open three, and that’s our recipe for success,” Head Coach Andrew Moran stated after the game.
“Winning the City of Palms Classic would be a great achievement after falling short in the past three years, but first, we have to navigate a tough matchup against Grayson in the quarterfinals,” Moran noted.
Columbus (8-1) will take on Grayson, currently ranked No. 14 in the High School on SI Top 25 National Rankings, on Friday at 7:15 p.m. during the Quarterfinals.
Great Crossing was led by 6-10 senior center Malachi Moreno (Kentucky commit), who nearly achieved a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds in the loss.
Great Crossing (6-1) is set to compete again in the Consolation Bracket against Westminster Academy on Friday at 10:40 a.m.
Montverde Academy’s Strong 4th Quarter Victory
The No. 3-seeded Montverde Academy Eagles staged a strong 4th quarter to claim a 68-63 victory in the nightcap, highlighted by a standout second half from Florida commit CJ Ingram, who led the team with 17 points.
Millennium briefly took the lead at 56-55 with 4:50 remaining in the final quarter before Montverde responded with a decisive 10-0 run, establishing a 65-56 lead with just 1:15 to go in regulation.
With this victory, Montverde Academy improves to 37-5 all-time at the City of Palms Classic, which includes an 18-game winning streak in the tournament.
The Tigers were led by 6-5 junior guard Cameron Holmes, who scored a game-high 27 points on 9-of-21 shooting from the floor.
Montverde Academy will now await the outcome of the Owasso-Oak Ridge matchup, set for Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
Millennium (Arizona) will be waiting for the loser of the Columbus-Grayson contest, playing in the 5th Place Semifinal on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
