Star-studded field set for 45th annual Culligan City of Palms Classic
en of the top 50 boys’ high school basketball players in the country will show off their hoop skills at the 45th annual Culligan City of Palms Classic Mon. Dec. 18 through Sat. Dec. 23 at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College.
Tickets are now on sale for the holiday tradition that brings high school teams from across the country to Southwest Florida. Several ticket options are available, including:
1. The six-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 first and second rows (east side).
2. The six-day Reserved Ticket Package. A single-seat six-day ticket package for $128 plus a $10 processing fee for the remaining seating (east and west sides of the arena).
And beginning Wed. Nov. 1, single day reserved seat tickets will be on sale for the following prices:
1. Level I Preferred Single-day tickets. A reserved single day seat in level I for $50.
2. Level II Single-day tickets. A reserved single day seat in level II for $25 (Friday and Saturday for $30).
For tickets, call the box office 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at (800) 440-7469 or (239) 481-4849.
Some of the players taking to the court include: 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, Orlando, Fla.); ESPN No. 20 player in the Class of 2018, Lehigh Acres native Emmitt Williams (Orlando Oak Ridge, Orlando, Fla.); ESPN No. 1 player in the Class of 2019 James Wiseman, (Memphis East, Memphis, Tenn.), and ESPN No. 2 player in the Class of 2019, Vernon Carey, Jr. (University School, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).
Culligan returns for its fifth year as Title Sponsor, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car is Presenting Sponsor for the fourth year.
No fees are collected from players or teams, and Classic Basketball Inc., a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation that acts as a foundation for the tournament, helps offset some of the costs incurred by the teams participating in the tournament. For many of the players, the tournament represents their first opportunity to travel outside their own community.
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.
About the Culligan City of Palms Classic
Founded in 1973, the City of Palms tournament began, like so many tournaments today, as a simple, local, holiday basketball tournament. Over the years, the tournament grew and expanded its scope to include the nation’s finest athletes and teams, and during the past 23 years, has set the standard by which all tournaments are compared. Classic Basketball Inc. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation created for the purpose of managing the Culligan City of Palms Classic. For more information and to sign up for the eNewsletter, visit cityofpalmsclassic.com.
