City of Palms Classic: Day 1 Top Performers

Fort Myers, FL — This is my fourth straight year at the City of Palms Classic. The event is hosted at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the campus of Florida Southwestern State College here in Fort Myers. It’s once again a loaded event, featuring players like Caleb Holt, Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame), Darius Acuff (Arkansas), the Boozer twins (Duke), Malachi Moreno (Kentucky), Ryan Hampton, Mikel Brown, and more.

Here are the top performers from the first day of the event.

Note: I was not in attendance for Jalen Montonati of Owasso (OK) who scored 28 points in the victory over Long island Lutheran (NY).

On3 MVP: 4-star SF Alex Lloyd (Florida)

Alex Lloyd thrived in transition tonight and getting to the basket. The Florida signee got into passing lanes grabbing a couple of steals as well. The Westminster Academy (FL) guard some very tough shots tonight. He will need to add strength, like most players, but showed tonight he can be a high caliber scoring guard as he finished with 41 points.

2. 4-star SF Dante Allen (Villanova)

Dante Allen makes winning plays. The Villanova signee and four-star senior was the star for Montverde Academy (FL) for this game. He plays tough, can score from various places on the floor, and his motor never stops. His passing ability is also underrated. A good rebounder as well. Simply put, he’s a guy you want on your team. He finished with 30 points.

3. 4-star SF Luca Foster

Four-star Luca Foster was the MVP for Archbishop Carroll (PA) tonight. He has nice size, a deep scoring package, and has a nose for the basketball. The 6-foot-5 junior small forward is a good athlete as well. Very impressed with his play tonight. Holds offers from Seton Hall, Pitt, Xavier, Miami, Villanova, Virginia Tech and more. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him add to that list after his 28-point performance tonight.

4. Grayson trio: Five-Star Plus+ Caleb Holt, Chris McLavish, and Amir Taylor

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.

5. 4-star SF Cameron Holmes

Cameron Holmes has good positional size with long arms. The lefty is a confident shooter especially from three. The 6-foot-6 small forward out of Millennium (AZ) played well in front of several college coaches and NBA scouts. He finished with 22 points and seven rebounds. Holmes says Georgetown will likely receive his first official visit and mentioned schools like UNC, Arizona, USC, Oregon, UCLA, and others are heavily involved in his recruitment.

6. 4-star SG Darius Adams (UConn)

Darius Adams played with tenacity Wednesday night. He takes his shots confidently and found his way to the basket and free throw line. The UConn signee has a a smooth game. The four-star shooting guard out of La Lumiere (IN) finished with 25 points and five assists.

7. 3-star CG Melvin Bell Jr. (San Jose State)

Melvin Bell Jr. really impressed me tonight. The three-star out of La Lumiere (IN) has strong frame and a college-ready body. A hard-nosed player who excels in the paint and has the ability to stretch the floor. A steal for San Jose State. Finished with 21 points.

8. 4-star SF Alex Constanza

Alex Constanza has great size with long arms. The 6-8 small forward out of Westminster Academy (FL) was quick to defensive rotations and showed his ability to score in the mid range and at the rim. Uses his strength to overpower defenders. Illinois head coach Brad Underwood along with assistants from Kentucky, Oregon, and others looked on. Finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds.