High school basketball’s own version of March Madness begins Friday as 12 of the nation’s top 25 teams compete in four separate tournaments ranging in location from Florida to Hawaii.
The most impressive collection of top teams and talent will be in Fort Myers, Fla., for the City of Palms Classic. Six ranked teams will be in action, although No. 1 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) will be playing in showcase games and will not be chasing the tournament title. No. 7 Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.), No. 10 Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.), No. 13 St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.), No. 16 Penn Wood (Lansdowne, Pa.) and No. 19 Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.) will be in the hunt for the prestigious event’s trophy.
Last year’s winner – Mater Dei of Santa Ana, Calif. – spent much of the season ranked No. 1 nationally after beating St. Patrick of New Jersey in the final.
The Iolani Classic in Hawaii features three ranked teams in No. 4 Yates (Houston, Texas), No. 9 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) and No. 20 Gonzaga (Washington. D.C.). Star senior Reggie Bullock and Kinston (N.C.) would love to use the event to catapult into Xcellent 25 status.
Brandon Knight and No. 17 Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) highlight the Hawk Kreul Classic in Coral Springs, Fla. Other contenders there include Quality Education Academy (Winston-Salem, N.C.), Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) and star guard Jelani Hewitt and Northeast (Oakland Park, Fla.).
Columbia, S.C., hosts the Chic-fil-A Classic where No. 18 Christ School (Arden, N.C.) and No. 22 Rice (New York, N.Y.) highlight a two-bracket tournament.
Yates (Houston, Texas) will try and run the table at the Iolani Classic in Hawaii.
<center>Photo by Michael Henderson</center>
Dec. 17-22 Hawk Kreul Classic
Coral Springs High School – Coral Springs, Fla.
Friday Sweet 16 bracket
No. 17 Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) vs. Coral Springs Christian (Coral Springs, Fla.)
Northeast (Oakland Park, Fla.) vs. Chaminade (Hollywood, Fla.)
Miramar (Fla.) vs. Monsignor Pace (Miami, Fla.)
Dillard (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) vs. West Boca (Boca Raton, Fla.)
Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) vs. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.) vs. KIMA (Washington, D.C.)
North Miami Beach (North Miami, Fla.) vs. Quality Education Academy (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Friday Florida Challenge bracket
Norland (Miami, Fla.) vs. St. Anthony’s (Long Island, N.Y.)
Deerfield Beach (Fla.) vs. Atlantic (Delray Beach, Fla.)
Coral Glades (Coral Springs, Fla.) vs. Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Cypress Bay (Weston, Fla.) vs. Sunrise Christian (Wichita, Kan.)
Dec. 17-22 Iolani Classic
Iolani High School – Honolulu, Hawaii
Friday
Tsinghua (China) vs. Kinston (N.C.)
Kaimuki (Honolulu, Hawaii) vs. Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Radford (Honolulu, Hawaii) vs. Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Kahuku (Hawaii) vs. No. 9 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) vs. Columbia (Decatur, Ga.)
Moanalua (Honolulu, Hawaii) vs. No. 20 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)
Iolani II (Honolulu, Hawaii) vs. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Kamehameha (Honolulu, Hawaii) vs. No. 4 Yates (Houston, Texas)
Dec. 18-23 City of Palms Classic
Bishop Verot High School – Fort Myers, Fla.
Friday
St. Frances (Baltimore, Md.) vs. De La Salle (Chicago, Ill.)
* Bishop Verot (Fort Myers, Fla.) vs. Flanagan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
No. 16 Penn Wood (Lansdowne, Pa.) vs. Butler (Huntsville, Ala.)
Fort Myers (Fla.) vs. No. 19 Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.)
Sagemont (Weston, Fla.) vs. No. 13 St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.)
Saturday
Fort Myers-Paterson Catholic loser vs. Penn Wood-Butler loser
Dudley (Greensboro, N.C.) vs. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
No. 10 Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) vs. Dunbar (Fort Myers, Fla.)
* Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.) vs. Summit Christian (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
No. 7 Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) vs. Bartow (Fla.)
* No. 1 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) vs. Winter Park (Fla.)
Penn Wood-Butler winner vs. Fort Myers-Paterson Catholic winner
* Non-tournament games
Dec. 19-23 Chic-fil-A Classic
Richland Northeast High School – Columbia, S.C.
Friday/Saturday Classic I bracket
Vance (Charlotte, N.C.) vs. Irmo (Columbia, S.C.)
Westlake (Atlanta, Ga.) vs. Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.)
Taft (Cincinnati, Ohio) vs. No. 22 Rice (New York, N.Y.)
Lower Richland (Hopkins, S.C.) vs. Richland Northeast (Columbia, S.C.)
Friday/Saturday Classic II bracket
Fairfield-Central (Winnsboro, S.C.) vs. Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)
Trinity Christian (Fayetteville, N.C.) vs. Charlotte Christian (Charlotte, N.C.)
Norfolk Christian (Norfolk, Va.) vs. No. 18 Christ School (Arden, N.C.)
Dreher (Columbia, S.C.) vs. Keenan (Columbia, S.C.)
MaxPreps picks the winners
Hawk Kreul Classic: Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Iolani Classic: Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)
City of Palms: St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.)
Chic-fil-A Classic: Rice (New York, N.Y.) / Christ School (Arden, N.C.)
