Syracuse Basketball: 4-stars Donnie Freeman, Kiyan Anthony in showcase

A Syracuse basketball 2024 commit, numerous recruits and several former targets will suit up in December down in the Sunshine State.

The loaded field of the 2023 City of Palms Classic recently got announced, and it includes some of the top high-school programs around the country. The 50th-annual City of Palms Classic will take place later this year from December 18 to December 23 at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla.

Among those expected to compete in this showcase event are Orange 2024 commit Donnie Freeman, a four-star power forward who verbally committed to the ‘Cuse in May, and 2025 priority recruit Kiyan Anthony, a four-star shooting guard who received a Syracuse basketball scholarship offer last November.

Freeman, who hails from Washington, D.C., recently said that he would spend his senior year at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., which is part of the 10-member National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (“NIBC”).

Syracuse basketball fans will want to check out this year’s City of Palms Classic.

Anthony, who has said he will take an official visit to the Hill at some point, will play in his junior year for another NIBC member, Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y.

Another member of Long Island Lutheran’s 2023-24 roster is 2025 four-star point guard Nigel James, who as I recently reported, was expected to take an unofficial visit to Syracuse basketball this weekend to participate in the Orange’s annual Elite Camp.

St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., is also expected to play in the 2023 City of Palms Classic. Among those on the St. Paul VI Catholic roster are 2026 five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr., who was offered by the ‘Cuse in May, and former Syracuse basketball target Patrick Ngongba II, a 2024 five-star center.

Other strong programs that will suit up in the 2023 City of Palms Classic include Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia, Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y., the Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, N.J., NIBC member the Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla., and the Link Academy in Branson, Mo., which captured the prestigious GEICO Nationals this past spring.

Thomas Sorber, a 2024 four-star center verbally committed to Georgetown, held an Orange offer and is a standout for Archbishop Ryan. Boogie Fland, a 2024 five-star point guard, is a former ‘Cuse recruit who plays for Archbishop Stepinac.

Montverde has a stacked 2023-24 roster that features a couple of former Syracuse basketball targets. They are 2024 five-star big man Derik Queen, 2024 four-star point guard Curtis Givens III and 2024 four-star point guard Robert Wright III, who is verbally committed to Baylor.

By the way, if you want to see the schedule for some of the early-round games at this year’s City of Palms Classic, click here.

Paul Biancardi, the recruiting director for ESPN, noted in a tweet that City of Palms Classic games will be televised on ESPNU. Fun. I’d love to see Donnie Freeman and Kiyan Anthony go toe to toe on a national broadcast at this event.