Ben Simmons led Montverde Academy to a win over Providence in the 2013 City of Palms Classic semifinals.
Photo by Jim Redman
In the 42-year history of the City of Palms Classic, no team has ever captured the tournament crown in three consecutive seasons.
Montverde Academy (Fla.) will attempt to do just that later this year after winning the prestigious title in 2012 and 2013.
City of Palms Classic tournament director Donnie Wilkie formally announced the field Wednesday. The collection of powerhouse programs headed to Fort Myers, Fla., from Dec. 18-23, should only strengthen the event's reputation as the nation's top high school basketball showcase.
In addition to Montverde Academy, defending state and national champion
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) will join the party. Under head coach Gary McKnight (who enters the season five wins shy of 1,000 for his career), the Monarchs won at City of Palms in 2006 and 2008.
Other defending state champs in the 16-team tournament field include
Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.),
Riverside Academy (Reserve, La.),
St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.),
Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.) and
Whitney Young (Chicago). See complete field and schedule below.
Another storyline to watch will be the emergence of
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) as a potential national power. According to Wilkie, the Trailblazers will be the youngest team in the field but few would be surprised to see them make a run at the final.
Supplementing the 16-team bracket will be the Signature Series and Sunshine Series showcases, which feature schools from all walks of high school basketball life. A team from Austria will join NEPSAC power
Northfield Mount Hermon (Mount Hermon, Mass.) as well as Indiana independent
La Lumiere (LaPorte) and Montverde Academy's post-grad team.
Twenty-three players expected to participate have already committed to Division I schools, including No. 1 Class of 2015 prospect
Ben Simmons of Montverde Academy. The versatile 6-foot-9 forward is headed to LSU.
Other elite prospects include
Jaylen Brown of Wheeler (No. 2 in 247Sports Composite for 2015),
Antonio Blakeney of Oak Ridge (No. 17, 2015),
Harry Giles of Wesleyan Christian (No. 4, 2016),
Malik Monk of Bentonville (No. 6, 2016),
Udoka Azubuike of Potter's House Christian (No. 10, 2016),
Kobi Simmons of St. Francis (No. 15, 2016) and
V.J. King of Paul VI (No. 16, 2016).
Montverde Academy's bid for three in a row will come in head coach Kevin Boyle's 14th trip to the City of Palms Classic. Boyle was a regular in Fort Myers while at
St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) and won the event with the Celtics in 2010, meaning he has led three of the last four COP champs.
Winning by an average margin of over 17 points per game, the Eagles have emerged victorious nine times in a row at City of Palms over a roll call of national powers including
Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) in the 2012 final and Paul VI in last year's championship contest.
16-team tournament bracket teamsArchbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.),
Bentonville (Ark.),
Florida Air Academy (Melbourne, Fla.),
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.),
Montverde Academy (Fla.),
North Port (Fla.),
Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.),
Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.),
Riverside Academy (Reserve, La.),
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.),
St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.),
Trinity (Louisville, Ky.),
Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio),
Webster Groves (Mo.),
Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.),
Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.),
Whitney Young (Chicago)Signature Series teamsBalboa City (San Diego), Danube City (Vienna, Austria),
La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.),
Potter's House Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.)Sunshine SeriesCardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.),
First Baptist Academy (Naples, Fla.),
Mariner (Cape Coral, Fla.),
Miami Beach (Fla.), Montverde Academy post-graduate team,
Northfield Mount Hermon (Mount Hermon, Mass.),
Suwannee (Live Oak, Fla.),
The Villages Charter (The Villages, Fla.), Victory Rock Christian (Bradenton, Fla.)
Schedule
Thursday, Dec. 182:15 p.m. – Florida Air Academy vs. Reserve Academy
4 p.m. – Sierra Canyon vs. Trinity
5:45 p.m. – Cardinal Gibbons vs. Mariner (Sunshine Series)
7:30 p.m. – North Port vs. Webster Groves
9:15 p.m. – Archbishop Carroll vs. Oak Ridge
Friday, Dec. 1910:25 a.m. – Consolation
12:05 p.m. – Consolation
1:45 p.m. – Montverde Academy vs. Wayne
3:30 p.m. – Florida Air Academy or Riverside Academy vs. St. Francis
5:15 p.m. – First Baptist vs. The Villages Charter (Sunshine Series)
7 p.m. – Wesleyan Christian Academy vs. Whitney Young
8:45 p.m. – Bentonville vs. Wheeler
10:30 p.m. – North Port or Webster Groves vs. Mater Dei
Saturday, Dec. 209:30 a.m. – Consolation
11:10 a.m. – Consolation
12:50 p.m. – Consolation
2:30 p.m. – Quarterfinal
4:15 p.m. – Miami Beach vs. Suwannee (Sunshine Series)
6 p.m. – Quarterfinal
7:45 p.m. – Quarterfinal
9:30 p.m. – Quarterfinal
Sunday, Dec. 212 p.m. – Montverde Academy post-grad vs. Northfield Mount Hermon
4 p.m. – Danube City vs. La Lumiere (Signature Series)
5:45 p.m. – Balboa City vs. Potter's House Christian (Signature Series)
8:20 p.m. – Edison National Bank Slam Dunk Contest
Monday, Dec. 229 a.m. – Challenge Round
10:40 a.m. – Challenge Round
12:20 p.m. – Consolation semifinal
2 p.m. – Consolation semifinal
3:45 p.m. – Fifth-place semifinal
5:30 p.m. – Fifth-place semifinal
7:15 p.m. – Semifinal
9 p.m. – Semifinal
Tuesday, Dec. 2310:20 a.m. – Consolation championship
Noon – Northfield Mount Hermon vs. Victory Rock
1:50 p.m. – Signature Series third place game
3:30 p.m. – Fifth place
5:15 p.m. – Signature Series final
7 p.m. – Third place
8:45 p.m. – City of Palms championship game