One of the premier annual showcases in high school hoops is about to get underway, and Syracuse basketball fans have various Orange commits and recruiting targets for which to keep tabs at this event in the Sunshine State.
From December 18 to December 23 in Fort Myers, Fla., the prestigious City of Palms Classic will transpire, gathering together some of the top high school programs and prospects from around the country.
For Syracuse basketball recruiting enthusiasts, the four high school teams to monitor at this year's City of Palms Classic are the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., the Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Md.
The famous @CityOfPalmsBKB begins Wednesday — super loaded event featuring top-25 programs and highly rated prospects — Cameron Boozer, Kiyan Anthony, Malachi Moreno, Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown, Caleb Holt, Darius Adams, Jalen Montonati, Alex Constanza, Tounde Yessoufou, and more. pic.twitter.com/Ss3SmID6xn
— Samad Hines (@Samad_Hines) December 16, 2024
All four squads are in the "traditional bracket" of the 2024 City of Palms Classic.
The opening schedule for Syracuse basketball commits and recruits at a premier showcase.
One of the standout seniors at IMG is five-star forward Sadiq White Jr., who is officially signed in the Orange's 2025 class. Another signee in the 'Cuse 2025 cycle is four-star shooting guard Kiyan Anthony, a senior at Long Island Lutheran.
In the early stages of the 2024-25 season, Anthony has missed a few games due to an injury, according to media reports, but hopefully, he'll be able to compete in the loaded City of Palms Classic.
Looking at Westminster, one of its leaders is All-American Alex Constanza, a 2026 five-star guard/small forward who holds a Syracuse basketball scholarship offer and took an official visit to the Hill this past October.
Bishop McNamara is one of the top high school programs in the talent-rich Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, a key recruiting market for the Orange staff. Two players for Bishop McNamara boast 'Cuse offers, and they are 2026 four-star guard Prince-Alexander Moody and 2026 five-star wing Qayden Samuels.
In late August of 2023, Moody went on an unofficial visit to Syracuse basketball to suit up in the Orange's annual Elite Camp.
Here are the initial games for these four groups at the City of Palms Classic, and this link will also provide details on future contests at this event leading up to the championship encounter on December 23.
Wednesday, Dec. 18
•Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., versus Owasso High School in Owasso, Okla., 12:30 pm
•La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind., versus Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 9:15 pm
Thursday, Dec. 19
•Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Md., versus Oak Ridge High School in Orlando, Fla., 3:45 pm
•IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., versus Faith Family Academy in DeSoto, Texas, 5:30 pm