CHSAA boys basketball beat writer Dylan Butler breaks down the City of Palms Classic featuring Christ the King
What: 38th Annual City of Palms Classic
Where: Bishop Verot HS
When: Dec. 17-Dec. 22
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Friday’s schedule:
4 p.m. – Norfolk Christian (Va.) vs. No. 8 Dr. Krop (Fla)
5:45 p.m. – Bishop Verot (Fla) vs. Thomasville (Ga) (Sunshine Series game)
7:45 p.m. – No. 16 Bishop Gorman (Nev.) vs. North Port (Fla.)
9:30 p.m. – Melrose (Tenn.) vs. Whitney Young (Ill.)
No. 4 Christ the King Royals
Head coach: Joe Arbitello
Record: 2-0
Player to watch: Omar Calhoun
Outlook: The Royals are the top ranked team in New York City by The Post and they come to Fort Myers shorthanded after a lackluster win against All Hallows Tuesday. George Mason-bound Corey Edwards is out serving a month-long suspension, but Christ the King will have standout junior Omar Calhoun, fresh off an unofficial visit to North Carolina, and sensational sophomores Isaiah Lewis, Jon Severe and Jordan Fuchs.
No. 8 Dr. Krop (Fla.) Lightning
Head coach: Marcos (Shakey) Rodriguez
Record: 11-0
Player to watch: Angel Rodriguez
Outlook: Dr. Krop opened a lot of eyes in the Sunshine State and beyond with a 21-point shellacking of Winter Park and this week the Lightning, coached by legendary Marcos (Shakey) Rodriguez, who spent 21 years at Florida International, will get to prove that was no fluke. Leading the way is Kansas State-bound guard Angel Rodriguez (no relation) and 6-foot-9 center Tyrone Haughton, one of Florida’s top juniors.
No. 10 Winter Park (Fla.) Wildcats
Head coach: David Bailey
Record: 8-1
Player to watch: Austin Rivers
Outlook: Duke-bound Austin Rivers, the top player In the Class of 2011, is a fan-favorite in Fort Myers and it’s easy to see why. He scored 46 against Wheeler (Ga.) as a sophomore and then dropped 45 on St. Benedicts (N.J.) last year, winning back-to-back tournament MVP honors. Can Doc Rivers’ son make it three in a row?
No. 11 St. Patrick’s (NJ) Celtics
Head coach: Kevin Boyle
Record: 0-0
Player to watch: Michael Gilchrist
Outlook: If Rivers isn’t the best player in the Class of 2011, it’s Michael Gilchrist, a 6-foot-7 do-it-all Kentucky-bound forward. Rice transfer Dashawn Suber will compete with UMBC commit Jarrel Lane at the point, trying to fill in for Kyrie Irving, Western Kentucky-bound Derrick Gordon is a 6-foot-3 senior wing and Jason Boswell, a Bronx-born 6-foot-7 sophomore, is a budding star.
No. 15 Milton (Ga.) Eagles
Head coach: David Boyd
Record: 7-1
Player to watch: Shannon Scott
Outlook: Preseason No. 1 in the country by USA Today, Milton didn’t handle the lofty expectations well, losing to Miller Grove (Ga.) earlier this month. But, led by Ohio State-bound point guard Shannon Scott, the veteran Eagles bounced back for back-to-back blowout wins. Dai-Jon Parker, who is heading to Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech-bound Julian Royal, highly touted junior swingman Evan Nolte and uber-athletic junior transfer Shaquille Johnson make Milton one of the most dangerous teams in this field.
No. 16 Bishop Gorman (Nev.) Gaels
Head coach: Grant Rice
Record: 3-0
Player to watch: Shabazz Muhammad
Outlook: When there’s a discussion about who the nation’s top junior is, the conversation usually includes Shabazz Muhammad, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who has offers from North Carolina, Duke and Kentucky. The Gaels, though, aren’t a one-man team. They also have Rosco Allen, a 6-foot-7 junior who is being recruited by UNLV, Arizona and UCLA and 6-foot-7 Ben Carter, who has offers from BYU and New Mexico on an experienced and athletic squad.
No. 21 Christ School (N.C.) Greenies
Head coach: David Gaines
Record: 11-1
Player to watch: Marshall Plumlee
Outlook: Marshall Plumlee is a 6-foot-11 forward who can run the floor and score from 15 feet. That’s a big reason why he’s following older brothers Miles and Mason to Duke. The big fella is joined by 6-foot-5 DeMarcus Harrison, who is considering BYU, Marquette, Clemson and Florida State and 6-foot-4 Trevonte Dixon who return from a team that won its fourth consecutive state title last year.
Dwyer (Fla.) Panthers
Head coach: Fred Ross
Record: 3-0
Player to watch: Jacoby Brissett
Outlook: Jacoby Brissett, a 6-foot-4 senior, is just getting onto the court after quarterbacking the school’s powerhouse football team to a deep playoff run. Brissett, who was selected to the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, has football offers from Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and South Florida among others. He is one of 11 players back from a basketball team that reached the Palm Beach County semifinals a year ago.
Fort Myers (Fla.) Green Wave
Head coach: Scott Guttery
Record: 6-1
Player to watch: Evin Graham
Outlook: Stetson-bound Evin Graham returns from a team that made history last year when the Green Wave became the first state champion ever from Southwest Florida. The 6-foot-3 senior guard is averaging 22.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 4.5 steals per game early this season for a team that will have a distinct home court advantage.
Mater Dei (Calif.) Monarchs
Head coach: Gary McKnight
Record: 6-0
Player to watch: Xavier Johnson
Outlook: Gary McKnight has 866 wins and counting in a remarkable 28-year career at Mater Dei, which won the City of Palms title two years ago. Xavier Johnson, a 6-foot-6 junior transfer has already opened eyes with a 40-point, 17-rebound and six-block game earlier this month. He’s joined by 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Jordan Strawberry and 6-foot-5 shooting guard Katin Reinhardt, a favorite of several Pac-10 schools.
Melrose (Tenn.) Golden Wildcats
Head coach: Jermaine Johnson
Record: 8-3
Player to watch: Adonis Thomas
Outlook: Adonis Thomas, a 6-foot-6 small forward who has signed with Memphis, is the star of a heavily-hyped Melrose squad that hasn’t lived up to expectations. Six-foot-2 senior Cedric McAfee, who signed with Auburn, and 6-foot-4 Telvin Wilkerson, who signed with Southern Missouri State, are also key players for the Wildcats, who are the subject of an MTV reality show.
Norfolk Christian (Va.) Ambassadors
Head coach: Michael Allen
Record: 5-0
Player to watch: James McAdoo
Outlook: Nephew of former NBA great and current Miami Heat assistant Bob McAdoo, North Carolina-bound James McAdoo is one of the top players in the Class of 2011. The 6-foot-8 senior is joined by senior Dontrell Silver and four talented juniors, including 5-foot-9 point guard Mike Murray.
North Port (Fla.) Bobcats
Head coach: Curt Allen
Record: 2-0
Player to watch: Kasey Wilson
Outlook: Central Florida-bound Kasey Wilson, a 6-foot-6 senior who previously verballed to Virginia Commonwealth, is one of Florida’s top players in the Class of 2011 and leads an experienced North Port squad that was upset in last year’s district semifinals.
Orlando Christian Prep (Fla.) Faith Warriors
Head coach: Reggie Kohn
Record: 5-1
Player to watch: Jordan Montgomery
Outlook: One of 10 state champions in this year’s stacked field, the Faith Warriors return several key players from last year’s Class 1A championship squad, including 6-foot-3 junior Jordan Montgomery, 6-foot-4 senior Adonis Burbage and 6-foot-4 junior Isaac Cohen. Orlando Christian Prep’s lone loss was a 34-point hammering by Winter Park.
Riverside Academy (La.) Rebels
Head coach: Tim Byrd
Record: 5-2
Player to watch: Ricardo Gathers
Outlook: At 6-foot-7, 240 pounds, Ricardo Gathers is an absolute beast and the junior man-child is being recruited by LSU, California, Ohio State, Texas and Arizona. He is joined by 6-foot-3 junior Louis Dabney for a Riverside Academy team that has already booked a return trip to next year’s City of Palms Classic.
Whitney Young (Ill.) Dolphins
Head coach: Tyrone Slaughter
Record: 4-1
Player to watch: Sam Thompson
Outlook: Led by Ohio State-bound Sam Thompson, a 6-foot-7 senior who is a human highlight film in the open floor and can also knock down 3-pointers, Whitney Young pummeled Perspective (Ill.) 76-37 on national television Thursday and will fly into Fort Myers Friday morning before facing Bishop Gorman at 9:30 p.m. The Dolphins, who also feature UMBC commit Luke Hagen, have some budding stars in 6-foot-7 sophomore Thomas Hamilton, who is arguably the best passer on the team, and 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman Jahlil Okafor, a distant cousin of former UConn star Emeka Okafor.
