Another star-studded field is set for the 45th annual Culligan City of Palms Classic at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW). The six-day 26-team tournament gets underway Mon. Dec. 18 and continues through Sat. Dec. 23.
Elite teams from as far away as California, Wisconsin and New Jersey will gather for this annual holiday tradition. Some of the top teams in the main draw include: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), four-time California state champion; Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, NJ), New Jersey’s Non-Public B state runner-up; Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.), two-time defending Class AAA Tennessee state champion; legendary Chicago Simeon (Chicago), 7-time Illinois state champion; and local favorite Canterbury (Fort Myers, Fla.).
Additionally, seven of the top 25 seniors in the nation will participate in this year’s tournament, including: ESPN No. 4 player in the Class of 2018, Bol Bol Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.); ESPN No. 14 player in the Class of 2018, Nassir Little (Orlando Christian Prep, Fla.); and ESPN No. 20 player in the Class of 2018, Lehigh Acres native Emmitt Williams (Orlando Oak Ridge, Fla.).
Culligan returns for its fifth year as Title Sponsor, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car is Presenting Sponsor for the fourth year.
Tickets for the tournament are now on sale. Several ticket options are available, including:
The 6-day Preferred Ticket Package.A single-seat six-day ticket package for $250 plus a $10 processing fee with seating in the first two rows directly behind the team benches and scorer’s table (west side of the arena) or the opposite second row (east side).
The 6-day Reserved Ticket Package.A single-seat six-day ticket package for $128 plus a $10 processing fee for the remaining courtside seating (east and west sides of the arena).
VIP Parking.A six-day Reserved Parking Pass for $60 plus a $5 processing fee.
For more information and to purchase tickets, call the box office Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at (800) 440-7469 or (239) 481-4849.
No fees are collected from players and teams, and Classic Basketball Inc., a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation that acts as a foundation for the tournament. For many of the players, the tournament represents their first opportunity to travel outside their own city.
Since 1989, 146 Culligan City of Palms Classic players have been named McDonald’s All-Americans and 116 have been drafted by the NBA, including 71 first-round picks.
Visit cityofpalmsclassic.com for all the information on this not-for-profit tournament featuring the top-ranked players and teams, including visitor information, ticket sales, schedule, team information, history, sponsors and sponsorship opportunities, eNewsletter signup, a tournament bracket, scores and stats, information on how to lend financial support as a Friend of the Classic, and much more.