The 39th annual State Farm City of Palms Classic got underway Friday in Fort Myers, Fla., and nearly produced a major upset.
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), a tournament favorite and ranked No. 5 nationally in this week's Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard, needed a 3-pointer with 14.6 seconds remaining from sophomore
Noah Robotham to survive against
Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), 58-57.
Shabazz Muhammad
File photo by Larry Lawson
The Gaels received 27 points and eight rebounds from senior guard
Shabazz Muhammad, the nation's top-ranked senior and star individual attraction of the Classic.
Senior guard
Josephus Bell countered with a team-high 16 points for Blanche Ely.
Bishop Gorman plays at 10 p.m. Monday against the winner of Saturday's pairing between
Constitution (Philadelphia, Pa.) and
Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas).
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 55, Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 42Montverde Academy's international cast of standouts was too much for Bay Area powerhouse Salesian, getting 22 points from 6-foot-9 Venezuela native and Mississippi verbal commitment
Anthony Perez.
Montverde Academy head coach Kevin Boyle led
St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) to the City of Palms Classic last season is looking for a unique repeat at the event with his new school. University of Florida-bound guard
Michael Frazier added 15 points for the unbeaten Eagles.
Highly-touted junior wing
Jabari Bird scored a team-high 12 points for Salesian.
Montverde Academy will meet the winner of Saturday's contest between
St. Raymond Boys (Bronx, N.Y.) and
Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) in an 8:15 p.m. quarterfinal showdown Monday.
Riverside Academy (Reserve, La.) 80, Gill St. Bernard's (Gladstone, N.J.) 73 (2OT)Bullish senior forward
Ricardo Gathers (6-foot-7, 240 pounds) piled up 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead Riverside Academy past Gill St. Bernard's in double overtime.
The Louisiana school mustered just two points in the second quarter but rallied in the second half to force the extra sessions. The Rebels advance to face three-time defending Georgia Class AAAA champ
Miller Grove (Lithonia) Saturday at 8 p.m.
Six-foot-seven Bucknell-bound forward
Dominic Hoffman led Gill St. Bernard's with 22 points.
Lake Wales (Fla.) 74, Bishop Verot (Fort Myers, Fla.) 49Junior guard
Douglas Brooks poured in a game-high 26 points as Lake Wales dominated the host school. The Highlanders meet defending California Division I state champ
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) at 9:45 p.m. Saturday.
SUNSHINE SERIES (non-tournament showcase game): Godby (Tallahassee, Fla.) 55, Fort Myers (Fla.) 43
