Lehigh Acres native Emmitt Williams will receive curtain call at City of Palms Classic
Adam Regan
The News-Press
Lehigh Acres native Emmitt Williams will receive quite a send off from his hometown fans at this year's 45th Annual Culligan City of Palms Classic.
The consensus top-10 recruit in the Class of 2018, who starred at Lehigh Senior High in 2015, will return to one of the nation's premier high school basketball tournaments as a member of Orlando Oak Ridge High in December.
Williams is the highest-ranked senior ever to come out of Lee County and a likely McDonald's All-American with offers from Duke, Kansas, Southern California, Florida, LSU, Oregon and Miami. He averaged 17.6 points and 11.6 rebounds a game for Bradenton IMG Academy, which competed in the tournament last season, and won the slam dunk competition.
More:Montverde edges IMG in COP semifinal thriller
Classic Basketball Inc. vice president Donnie Wilkie said he fielded at least 25 emails regarding Williams' participation in the City of Palms when news broke he would transfer to Oak Ridge.
"We have a responsibility to have Emmitt's back," Wilkie said. "He's the highest-rated player to come out of Fort Myers and people want to see him play. I know how much this tournament means to him and to not have him be a part of this tournament would just be wrong. I was going to do everything possible to make that happen."
IMG Academy was left out of the tournament as a result.
More:City of Palms Classic signs 5-year extension to stay at Suncoast Credit Union Arena
Williams will be joined by 18 other top prospects, including ESPN No. 2-ranked senior Zion Williamson of Spartanburg Day (South Carolina), Scout No. 2-ranked senior Bol Bol of Santa Ana Mater Dei (California), ESPN top-ranked junior James Wiseman of Memphis East (Tennesee) and Scout and Rivals No. 1-ranked junior Vernon Carey Jr. of Fort Lauderdale University School.
The tournament will be held at the 75,000-square-foot, 3,300-seat Suncoast Credit Union Arena for the second year. The tourney, which boasts having fielded 146 McDonald's All-Americans and counting, will be held from Dec. 18 to 23 this year with the final being held at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 23.
The Canterbury School will represent Southwest Florida in the main draw which also features Briarwood Archbishop Molloy (New York), Chicago Simeon, Jersey City Hudson Catholic (New Jersey), Mater Dei, Powder Springs McEachern (Georgia), Memphis East, Moutain Brook (Alabama), Oak Ridge, Orlando Christian Prep, Tinton Falls Ranney School (New Jersey), Spartanburg Day, San Diego St. Augustin (California), University School, Webster Groves (Missouri) and High Point Wesleyan Christian (North Carolina).
Southwest Florida Christian Academy was originally slated to compete in the main draw but the tournament made an adjustment after Jacob Tracey and Jadrian Tracey transferred to Riverdale, creating a spot for Canterbury.
"It was mixed feelings," Canterbury coach Darrin Wallace said of being selected. "I'm very close to the players at Southwest Florida Christian and their coach. I understood what happened and why we were getting in. I do know that we earned this spot, this opportunity also. We have nine juniors and three seniors all returning on this team.
" ... You don't get to this level without having good players on your team."
The Cougars feature Division I prospect Berrick Jean-Louis, guard Edward Zurita and small forward Ricky Fernandez from a team that went 21-6 last season and finished as a runner-up in District 3A-6.
Jean-Louis played in the tournament with Lehigh in 2015.
"You have to come in and play hard because no team is going to back down," Jean-Louis said. "Every team is going to be very talented. It's going to be a fight."
Chatsworth Sierra Canyon (California) was bounced from the tournament after prized recruit Marvin Bagley III reclassified and enrolled at Duke. Wesleyan Christian, which played in the 2015 tournament, served as the replacement.
Montverde Academy defeated Memphis East 63-54 in last year's final. East, which is coached by former Orlando Magic all-star point guard Anfernee Hardaway, returns to Fort Myers along with Hudson Catholic.
SFCA and Lehigh will play in one-off Sunshine Series games against Wildwood and Miami Gulliver Prep, respectively.
The four-team signature series will have a small-town feel with Mars Area (Pennsylvania), Corbin (Kentucky), Thomaston Upson-Lee (Georgia) and Kaukauna (Wisconsin) competing.
The 16-team tournament field
Briarwood (New York) Archbishop Molloy
Last season: 21-8, New York City CHSAA Class AA City runner-up
Last season: 21-6, Florida FHSAA Class 3A-6 runner-up
Chicago Simeon
Last season: 30-4, Illinois Class 4A state runner-up
Jersey City (New Jersey) Hudson Catholic
Last season: 26-4, New Jersey NJSIAA Non-Public B runner-up
Santa Ana (California) Mater Dei
Last season: 33-3, California CIF Open Division Semifinalist
Powder Springs (Georgia) McEachern
Last season: 29-1, Georgia GHSA Class 7A semifinalist
Memphis (Tennessee) East
Last season: 33-3, Tennessee TSSAA Class AAA state champion
Mountain Brook (Alabama)
Last season: 31-5, Alabama AHSAA Class 7A state champion
Orlando Oak Ridge
Last season: 24-5, Florida FHSAA Region 9A-2 runner-up
Orlando Christian Prep
Last season: 27-4, Florida FHSAA Class 3A state champion
Tinton Falls (New Jersey) Ranney School
Last season: 22-6, New Jersey NJSIAA Non-Public B South semifinalist
Spartanburg (South Carolina) Day
Last season: 29-6, South Carolina SCISA Class 2Astathe champion
San Diego (California) St. Augustin
Last season: 28-5, California CIF Open Division quarterfinalist, San Diego section champion
Fort Lauderdale University School
Last season: 20-7, Florida FHSAA Region 5A-4 semifinalist
Webster Groves (Missouri)
Last season: 29-2, Missouri Class 5 state champion
High Point (North Carolina) Wesleyan Christian
Last season: 28-5, North Carolina NCISAA Class 3A state runner-up
Signature Series (Dec. 20-22)
Corbin (Kentucky)
Kaukauna (Wisconsin)
Mars (Pennsylvania)
Thomaston (Georgia) Upson-Lee
Sunshine Series (single games)
Dec. 18: Southwest Florida Christian Academy vs. Wildwood, 5:15 p.m.
Dec. 19: Lehigh vs. MiamiGullver Prep, 3:30 p.m.
Dec. 21: Kissimmee Osceola vs. Miami Christian
The 45th Annual Culligan City of Palms Classic schedule
3:30 p.m (Game 1).: Jersey City Hudson Catholic (N.J.) vs. Webster Groves (Mo.)
5:15 p.m. (Game 2 - Sunshine Series): SFCA vs. Wildwood
7 p.m. (Game 3): Canterbury vs. Mountain Brook (Ala.)
8:45 p.m. (Game 4): Tinton Falls Ranney School (N.J.) vs. Powder Springs McEachern (Ga.)
12 p.m. (Game 5): Consolation Game 4 loser (Ranny-McEachern) vs. Game 3 loser (Mountain Brook-Canterbury)
1:45 p.m. (Game 6): High Point Wesleyan Christian (N.C.) vs. Orlando Christian Prep
3:30 p.m. (Game 7 - Sunshine Series): Lehigh vs. Miami Gulliver Prep
5:15 p.m. (Game 8): Memphis East (Tenn.) vs. San Diego St. Augustine (Calif.)
7 p.m. (Game 9): Fort Lauderdale University School vs. Briarwood Archbishop Molloy (N.Y.)
8:45 p.m. (Game 10): Santa Ana Mater Dei (Calif.) vs. Game 3 winner (Mountain Brook-Canterbury)
11 a.m. (Game 11) Quarterfinal: Game 1 winner (Hudson Catholic-Webster) vs. Game 4 winner (Ranney-McEachern)
12:45 p.m. (Game 12 - Signature Series): Corbin (Ky.) vs. Mars (Pa.)
2:30 p.m. (Game 13) Quarterfinal: Game 10 winner (Mater Dei-Canterbury-Mountain Brook) vs. Game 9 winner (University-Molloy)
4:15 p.m. (Game 14 - Signature Series): Thomaston Upson-Lee (Ga.) vs. Kaukauna (Wis.)
6 p.m. (Game 15): Spartanburg Day (South Carolina) vs. Orlando Oak Ridge
7:25 p.m.: Bahama Breeze 45-second Challenge
7:30 p.m.: Joe North Three-Point Shootout
8:30 p.m.: Edison National Bank Slam Dunk Championship
12 p.m. (Game 16) Consolation: Game 8 loser (Memphis East-St. Augustin) vs. Game 6 loser (Wesleyan-OCP)
1:45 p.m. (Game 17) Consolation: Game 15 loser (Spartanburg-Oak Ridge) vs. Game 9 loser (University-Molloy)
3:30 p.m. (Game 18) Consolation: Game 1 loser (Hudson-Webster) vs. Game 10 loser (Mater Dei-Canterbury-Mountain Brook)
5:15 p.m. (Game 19 - Sunshine Series): Kissimmee Osceola vs. Miami Christian
7 p.m. (Game 20) Quarterfinal: Game 6 winner (Wesleyan-OCP) vs. Chicago Simeon
8:45 p.m. (Game 21) Quarterfinal: Game 8 winner (Memphis East-St. Augustine) vs. Game 15 winner (Spartanburg-Oak Ridge)
9 a.m. (Game 22) Consolation semifinal: Game 5 winner vs. Game 16 winner
10:40 a.m. (Game 23) Consolation semifinal: Game 17 winner vs. Game 18 winner
12:20 p.m. (Game 24) Signature Series third place: Game 12 loser vs. Game 14 loser
2 p.m. (Game 25) Fifth-place semifinal: Game 13 loser vs. Game 20 loser
3:45 p.m. (Game 26) Fifth-place semifinal: Game 21 loser vs. Game 11 loser
5:30 p.m. (Game 27) Signature Series Championship: Game 14 winner vs. Game 12 winner
7:15 p.m. (Game 28) Semifinal: Game 21 winner vs. Game 20 winner
9 p.m. (Game 29) Semifinal: Game 13 winner vs. Game 11 winner
11 a.m. (Game 30) Challenge round game: 0-2 teams to be determined
12:40 p.m. (Game 31) Consolationchampionship: Game 23 winner vs. Game 22 winner
2:20 p.m. (Game 32) Fifth-place championship: Game 26 winner vs. Game 25 winner
4 p.m. (Game 33) Challenge round game: 0-2 teams to be determined
5:45 p.m. (Game 35) Third-place final: Game 28 loser vs. Game 29 loser
7:30 p.m. (Game 36) City of Palms championship: Game 29 winner vs. Game 28 winner