High school basketball: No. 3 Paul VI, No. 4 Imhotep Charter, No. 5 Centennial and No. 7 Columbus headline 2022 City of Palms Classic field

Forty-ninth annual tournament features top-ranked senior Isaiah Collier, No. 1 junior Tre Johnson, sophomore sensation Cameron Boozer.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Jordan Divens
By
Dec 15, 2022, 11:00am
The City of Palms Classic has established itself as the top regular season basketball tournament in high school basketball over the years.

In its 49th year, the event has seen more talent than any other high school basketball event in the land with the longevity and consistent star power that sets the tournament apart.

Over the years LaMarcus Aldridge, Paolo Banchero, LaMelo Ball, Jaylen Brown, Chauncey Billups, Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kyrie Irving, Joe Johnson, Kevin Love, Jayson Tatum and John Wall are among the top names to participate in the prestigious event.

This year promises much of the same as the top player in the senior classification Isaiah Collier, top junior Tre Johnson and sophomore sensation Cameron Boozer are among the headlining talents.

The City of Palms Classic has featured approximately 1,000 players who have played Division I basketball, 191 McDonald's All-Americans, 108 first-round NBA Draft picks and 77 players who were on NBA rosters at the start of the 2022-23 season.

Six of the top 15 teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 will participate as No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), No. 4 Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), No. 5 Centennial (Corona, Calif.), No. 7 Columbus (Miami, Fla.), No. 9 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) and No. 15 Lake Highlands (Dallas) headline the 16-team traditional bracket.

Paul VI (5-0) features one of the game's deepest and most talented rotations with a roster composed of five top 100 prospects led by top 50 Duke pledge Darren Harris and top 40 Maryland signee Deshawn Harris-smith.

Imhotep Charter (4-0) rides a 22-game winning streak dating back to last season into the City of Palms and are led by five-star Kentucky signee Justin Edwards, Florida Gulf Coast commit Rahmir Barno and four-star junior Ahmad Nowell.

Centennial (6-1) finished last season ranked No. 2 in the MaxPreps Top 25 and returned the bulk of its core, including Duke signee Jared McCain, UCLA signee Devin Williams and Loyola Marymount commit Aaron Mcbride. The Huskies enter the tournament as winners of 36 of their past 37 games.

Columbus (6-1) has a bye into the quarterfinals and are among the favorites to capture the event title, led by the dynamic duo of Cameron and Cayden Boozer. Cameron is the can't-miss talent of the event averaging 22.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists in the early going this season.

Wheeler (4-1) has one of the most talented starting fives in the nation, led by USC signees Collier and Arrinten Page and Iowa State pledge Jelani Hamilton. The Wildcats are favorites to win their third state title in the past four seasons this year.
Top-ranked junior prospect Tre Johnson and No. 15 Lake Highlands are among headliners in the 2022 City of Palms Classic field. (Photo: Keith Owens)
Top-ranked junior prospect Tre Johnson and No. 15 Lake Highlands are among headliners in the 2022 City of Palms Classic field. (Photo: Keith Owens)
Lake Highlands (9-1) has had an impressive start to the season and jumped into the national rankings early in the year after starting the season just outside the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25. Top-ranked junior Johnson is the catalyst for a talented and experienced group from the Lone Star State.


Winter Haven, Tampa Catholic (Tampa) and Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale) are the top teams from the Sunshine State in the traditional bracket, while local mainstays Charlotte (Punta Gorda) and Canterbury (Fort Myers) fill out the field.

The signature series bracket is headlined by National Top 10 No. 3 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), while The Rock (Gainesville), St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) and Patrick School (Hillside, N.J.) round out the four-team field.

Link Academy (9-0) features a roster loaded with high-major talent as top 20 prospects Elliot Cadeau, B.J Davis-Ray, Aaron Rowe and Baylor signee Ja'Kobe Walter headline the second-year program's roster.

Check out the full list of the top prospects participating in this year's City of Palms Classic below.

Top Players to Watch

Class of 2023
Isaiah Collier, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) (No. 1 overall prospect, USC signee)
Justin Edwards, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia) (No. 2, Kentucky signee)
Ja'Kobe Walter, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) (No. 20, Baylor commit)
Stephon Castle, Newton (Covington, Ga.) (No. 23, Connecticut commit)
Jared McCain, Centennial (Corona, Calif.) (No. 26, Duke signee)
Deshawn Harris-Smith, Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) (No. 38, Maryland signee)
Reed Sheppard, North Laurel (London, Ky.) (No. 43, Kentucky signee)
Arrinten Page, Wheeler (No. 59, USC signee)
Devin Williams, Centennial (No. 67, UCLA signee)
Corey Chest Jr., Link Academy (No. 75, LSU signee)
Jakai Newton , Newton (No. 86, Indiana signee)
Cameron Carr, Link Academy (No. 87, Tennessee signee)
Dylan James, Winter Haven (Fla.) (No. 99, Georgia signee)

Class of 2024
Tre Johnson, Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas) (No. 1)
Elliot Cadeau, Link Academy (No. 8)
Karter Knox, Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.) (No. 9)
Boogie Fland, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) (No. 12)
R.J. Jones, The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.) (No. 38)
Tyler McKinley, Link Academy (No. 42)
Darren Harris, Paul VI (No. 45, Duke commit)
Ahmad Nowell, Imhotep Charter (No. 53)
Bishop Boswell, Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) (No. 64)
Isaiah Abraham, Paul VI (No. 74)
Sir Mohammed, Myers Park (No. 75)
Anthony Gilkes, Patrick School (No. 76)
Patrick Ngongba, Paul VI (No. 97)
Sammie Yeanay, The Rock (No. 99)

Class of 2025
B.J. Davis-Ray, Link Academy (No. 13)
Aaron Rowe, Link Academy (No. 14)
A.J. White, Myers Park (No. 20)
Cayden Boozer, Columbus (No. 24)
Danny Carbuccia, Archbishop Stepinac (No. 35)

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