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Grayson (Ga.) blows past Central Catholic (Ore.) in City of Palms Classic

Collin-headshotby:Collin Ginnan12/19/24

GinnanCollin

Caleb Holt
Photo by Jeremy Johnson - On3

The nation’s top boys basketball team traveled south for the City of Palms Classic this week and put on a show during the first day of the event. Loganville (Ga.) Grayson defeated Portland (Ore.) Central Catholic 96-55 in the Rams’ first game of the Classic.

Five-Star Plus+ junior shooting guard Caleb Holt and senior point guard Chris McLavish each scored 20 points while Kennesaw State power forward commit Amir Taylor recorded a double-double. Four-star Georgia signee Jacob Wilkins scored 10 points and added five assists and four rebounds.

Wilkins also earned ‘Dunk of the Day’ for round one.

Grayson held a 25-10 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. The Rams outscored Catholic Central in each frame.

The win was Grayson’s eighth of the season, following up a 70-53 victory over Grovetown (Ga.) on Dec. 13.

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Top performers from Day One of the City of Palms Classic can be found HERE.

On3’s Joe Tipton listed Holt, McLavish and Taylor as three of the event’s top performers from day one at the City of Palms:

“Caleb Holt plays with a competitive edge. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of Grayson (GA) plays the game with toughness and a high motor. Holt, a Five-Star Plus+ prospect originally from Huntsville, AL, excels in getting into the lane with his strong frame and can draw fouls. An excellent two-way player who says he is trying to transition more into a point guard. Holt finished with 20 points, four assists, and two steals. Kansas’ Bill Self looked on, along with assistants from UNC, Kentucky, Louisville, Arkansas, and others.

“His teammates Chris McLavish and Amir Taylor were superb. McLavish is an undersized guard who had an incredibly efficient game, knocking in six three-pointers, finishing with 20 points. Taylor showed touch around the rim and polished footwork. An underrated pickup for Kennessaw State. The big man finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds.”

Grayson is the nation’s No. 1 team in the On3 Composite High School Basketball Team Ranking.

The On3 Composite High School Basketball Team Ranking is a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings listed in the public domain by respected High School media and data companies. It includes Massey, Max Preps, ESPN and SI, creating the industry’s most comprehensive and geographically balanced High School Team Ranking.

More about the City of Palms Classic

A brief history on the City of Palms Classic from the tournament website:

“In December 1973, the City of Palms Classic began, like so many events, as a simple, local Christmas basketball tournament — the brainchild of legendary Edison Community College head coach Hugh Thimlar and a small group of high school coaches and administrators. Over the years, the “City of Palms Classic” (named by Donnie Wilkie in 1987) has grown and expanded its scope to include many of the nation’s finest players and teams, setting the standard during the past four decades by which all other holiday basketball tournaments are compared.”