2024 City of Palms Classic: Top Teams and Future Stars Set for Fort Myers Showdown

51st Annual Tournament Features Top 40 Recruits, Elite Teams Like IMG Academy, Montverde, and More; Full Schedule
Arkansas commit Darius Acuff Jr. of IMG Academy takes a shot against Richmond Heights in last year's City of Palms Classic.
Arkansas commit Darius Acuff Jr. of IMG Academy takes a shot against Richmond Heights in last year's City of Palms Classic. / Amanda Inscore/The News-Press USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 51st Annual City of Palms Classic is just under a week away at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers. This year’s event will be held December 18-23, 2024. There will be 37 national-level games across the span of six days.

High School on SI will be on hand covering the event throughout the tournament.

“This year’s field should be just as good, if not better,” City of Palms Classic event director Mary Schaack told NBC2 Fort Myers’ Bailey Smith.

The talent at this year’s classic will feature 16 of the Top 40 seniors in the nation, according to 247Sports, from names such as Cameron Boozer (Duke commit), Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas commit), Dante Allen (Villanova commit), Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame commit), Mikel Brown Jr, Kiyan Anthony (Syracuse commit), and many others. 

It will also feature 8 of the Top 25 juniors in the nation featuring five-star shooting guard Caleb Holt, five-star power forward Caleb Gaskins, five-star small forward Kayden Allen, four-star point guard Dylan Mingo, four-star small forward Alex Constanza, and several others.

This year’s field will also feature eight of the Top 25 ranked teams in the nation such as IMG Academy, Long Island Lutheran, Montverde Academy, Columbus, Grayson, Dynamic Prep, Oak Ridge, and La Lumiere.

2024 City of Palms Classic Team List:

Traditional Bracket

Archbishop Carroll (PA)

Bishop McNamara (MD)

Central Catholic (OR)

Columbus (FL)

Faith Family Academy (TX)

Gateway Charter (FL)

Grayson (GA)

Great Crossing (KY)

IMG Academy (FL)

La Lumiere (IN)

Long Island Lutheran (NY)

Millennium (AZ)

Montverde Academy (FL)

Oak Ridge (FL)

Owasso (OK)

Westminster Academy (FL)

Sunshine Series

Edgewater (FL)

Gibbs (FL)

Mater Dei (CA)

St. Joseph (CA)

Signature Series

Bullis School (MD)

DME Academy (FL)

Dream City Christian (AZ)

Dynamic Prep (TX)

Hugh Thimlar Tribute

Bishop Verot (FL)

Charlotte (FL)

2024 City of Palms Classic Game-by-Game Schedule

Wednesday, December 18

Game 1- Long Island Lutheran (NY) vs Owasso (OK)- 12:30PM

Game 2- Central Catholic (OR) vs Grayson (GA)- 2:15PM

Game 3- Gateway Charter (FL) vs Millennium (AZ)- 4:00PM

Game 4- Bishop Verot (FL) vs Charlotte (FL)- 5:45PM (Hugh Thimlar Tribute)

Game 5- Archbishop Carroll (PA) vs Montverde Academy (FL)- 7:30PM

Game 6- La Lumiere (IN) vs Westminster Academy (FL)- 9:15PM

Thursday, December 19

Game 7- Game 1 Loser vs Game 3 Loser- 10:30AM

Game 8- Mater Dei (CA) vs Gibbs (FL)- 12:15PM (Sunshine Series)

Game 9- St. Joseph (CA) vs Edgewater (FL)- 2:00PM (Sunshine Series)

Game 10- Bishop McNamara (MD) vs Oak Ridge (FL)- 3:45PM

Game 11- Faith Family Academy (TX) vs IMG Academy (FL)- 5:30PM

Game 12- Great Crossing (KY) vs Columbus (FL)- 7:15PM

Game 13- Game 5 Winner vs Game 3 Winner- 9:00PM

Friday, December 20

Game 14- Game 11 Loser vs Game 10 Loser- 9:00AM (Consolation Game)

Game 15- Game 12 Loser vs Game 6 Loser- 10:40AM (Consolation Game)

Game 16- Game 5 Loser vs Game 2 Loser- 12:20PM (Consolation Game)

Game 17- Dream City Christian (AZ) vs Bullis School (MD)- 2:00PM (Signature Series)

Game 18- Dynamic Prep (TX) vs DME Academy (FL)- 3:45PM (Signature Series)

Game 19- Game 1 Winner vs Game 10 Winner- 5:30PM (Quartefinal #1)

Game 20- Game 12 Winner vs Game 2 Winner- 7:15PM (Quarterfinal #2)

Game 21- Game 11 Winner vs Game 6 Winner- 9:00PM (Quarterfinal #3)

Saturday, December 21

Game 22- Game 7 Winner vs Game 15 Winner- 8:00AM (Consolation Semifinal)

Game 23- Game 14 Winner vs Game 16 Winner- 9:40AM (Consolation Semifinal)

Game 24- Game 8 Loser vs Game 9 Loser- 11:20AM (Sunshine Series 3rd Place Game)

Game 25- Game 20 Loser vs Game 13 Loser- 1:00PM (5th Place Semifinal #1)

Game 26- Game 21 Loser vs Game 19 Loser- 2:40PM (5th Place Semifinal #2)

Game 27- Game 9 Winner vs Game 8 Winner- 4:20PM (Sunshine Series- Championship Game)

Game 28- Game 13 Winner vs Game 19 Winner- 7:00PM (Semifinal #1)

Game 29- Game 21 Winner vs Game 20 Winner- 9:00PM (Semifinal #2)

Sunday, December 22

Game 30- Game 18 Loser vs Game 17 Loser- 3:00PM (Signature Series- 3rd Place Game)

Game 31- Game 17 Winner vs Game 18 Winner- 4:45PM (Signature Series- Championship Game)

Monday, December 23

Game 32- To Be Determined vs To Be Determined- 11:30AM (Challenge Round)

Game 33- To Be Determined vs To Be Determined- 1:15PM (Challenge Round)

Game 34- Game 22 Winner vs Game 23 Winner- 3:00PM (Consolation Championship)

Game 35- Game 25 Winner vs Game 26 Winner- 4:45PM (5th Place Championship Game)

Game 36- Game 28 Winner vs Game 29 Winner- 7:30PM (Championship Game)

Game 37- Game 29 Loser vs Game 28 Loser- 9:30PM (3rd Place Game)


Published
Ross Van De Griek
ROSS VAN DE GRIEK

Ross Van De Griek has been a high school sports writer covering the state of Florida since 2021. Ross also has been scouting high school basketball and Grassroots Basketball across the Southeast Region since 2022. Ross has been covering basketball and recruiting for High School on SI since August 2024. He has collaborated with Next Up Sports, Prep Hoops, and On The Radar Hoops throughout his scouting career. You can follow him on X @rossvdg14 or reach him via email rossvdg14@gmail.com for story ideas.