As the highschool basketball season reaches its midpoint, the 51st annual Metropolis of Palms event in Fort Myers, FL, showcased a number of the prime highschool gamers and groups within the nation simply earlier than the vacation season. With an abundance of elite expertise on show, a number of prospects separated themselves from the remaining.
Cameron Boozer 6’9 245 PF – Christopher Columbus 2025 (Duke)
Cameron Boozer (pictured) was the standout participant within the 2024 Metropolis of Palms Basic, serving because the driving pressure behind his workforce’s event victory. He utilized his measurement and power to make a big impression in video games. Boozer is a bodily participant who excels within the paint, relying closely on his bodily attributes. Whereas his taking pictures and athleticism has raised considerations all through his highschool profession, he demonstrated enchancment throughout the event, taking pictures 29 for 47 from the sphere and hitting 7 for 17 from three-point vary, together with a number of photographs past the school three-point line. His efficiency within the championship sport was not his greatest, however his physicality and hustle resulted in a line of 14 factors, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, serving to lead Columbus to the title. Over the course of the event, Boozer averaged 20.25 factors, 9.25 rebounds, and a couple of.75 assists, incomes him recognition as Co-MVP.
Darius Acuff 6’2 175 PG – IMG Academy (Arkansas)
Through the Metropolis of Palms Basic, Darius Acuff strengthened his repute because the #1 level guard within the class of 2025, showcasing his scoring and playmaking abilities. Acuff considerably impacted the sport and demonstrated his means to take management when wanted. He was instrumental in two double-digit comebacks for IMG, significantly in sport one of many event, the place he helped his workforce overcome a 16-point deficit. Acuff completed sport 1 with 38 factors on 15 photographs and hit a deep three-pointer with underneath 10 seconds remaining, resulting in an extra time victory. Acuff exhibited the capability to attain in any respect three ranges and proved to be a dynamic participant all through the event, taking pictures 51.2% from the sphere and 50% from past the arc throughout 4 video games. For the event, Acuff completed with averages of 31.5 factors, 6.25 assists, and three.75 rebounds per sport, incomes him a share of the Co-MVP award.
Jalen Haralson 6’7 215 SF – La Lumiere (Notre Dame)
Haralson is ranked among the many prime 15 recruits within the class of 2025, showcasing his potential at the same time as his workforce confronted challenges. La Lumiere completed the week with a 1-2 document, struggling an upset in sport three towards Owasso from Oklahoma. Haralson is a strong-bodied small ahead who demonstrated his means to run the offense and deal with the ball successfully. With a excessive motor and vitality, he made impactful performs and setup his teammates all through the week. Nevertheless, his inconsistent taking pictures was a setback, as he ended the week with a taking pictures proportion of simply over 41% from the sphere and 25% from past the arc on 20 makes an attempt. Regardless of this, his tenacity and physicality allowed him to common 19.6 factors, 6.3 rebounds, and three assists over the three video games.
Caleb Holt 6’5 200 CG -Grayson (Uncommitted)
Holt was the highest-rated junior on the Metropolis of Palms and lived as much as the invoice. Holt was very important to his workforce’s success, resulting in a 3-1 document and a Fifth-place end. Holt had strong averages of 16.5 factors, 7 rebounds, and a couple of.75 assists per sport, leading to an All-Match workforce bid. Holt confirmed promise enjoying on and off the ball together with his means to maneuver the ball, discover his teammates, and rebound in bunches from the guard spot. Holt should proceed to work on his outdoors taking pictures as he shot simply over 40% from the ground and went 2 of 12 from past the arc. Holt was at his greatest getting downhill and within the mid-range. Holt was in a position to impression video games utilizing his measurement and athleticism, ending on the basket utilizing his bodily body and attending to the road at will, the place he completed 17-22 within the event.
Jalen Montonati 6’7 185 SF/PF – Owasso (Uncommitted)
Montonati is extensively considered a prime 20 participant within the class of 2026 and showcased his scoring means on the Metropolis of Palms event. His play led his workforce to a sixth-place end, reaching upset victories towards a number of prime 10 groups nationally. Montonati averaged 26.25 factors and 4.5 rebounds per sport all through the event, demonstrating a formidable taking pictures proportion of 48.6% from the ground and 47.2% from past the arc on 36 makes an attempt. As he continues to develop, including weight and rising his athleticism shall be helpful, as a good portion of his scoring got here from leap photographs. Together with his measurement and size, he has the potential to turn out to be a more practical slasher, able to ending across the rim and over defenders.
Sadiq White 6’8 200 PF – IMG (Syracuse)
White emerged as one of many prime prospects in highschool basketball throughout the 2024 calendar yr, incomes a fifth star and transferring to Nationwide Powerhouse IMG Academy. He performed a key function on the Metropolis of Palms Match, serving to his workforce overcome a number of double-digit deficits, which finally led them to a third-place end. All through the event, White averaged 14.5 factors and seven.75 rebounds per sport, taking pictures a formidable 68.5% from the ground. Nevertheless, including a long-range taking pictures risk would assist broaden the ground, as he made solely 2 of 6 makes an attempt from past the arc. His athleticism and velocity allow him to get previous greater defenders and successfully guard smaller gamers. Nonetheless, it is going to be essential for him so as to add power to his sport, as his lowest rebounding output was simply two, and he struggled with physicality across the rim.
Jaxon Richardson 6’5 185 SF – Columbus (Uncommitted)
Jaxon Richardson emerged as an unsung hero for his workforce, serving to lead Columbus to the Metropolis of Palms title. Richardson has gritty toughness, making him a pesky defender keen to combine it up with varied gamers. All through the event, he showcased a various talent set, highlighted by his explosive athleticism and spectacular leaping means, ending above the rim a number of occasions. Standing at a real 6’5″ with a wingspan shut to six’10”, Richardson gained a big defensive edge, disrupting the opposing workforce’s all week. His scoring means was a key issue for Columbus, as he averaged 18.5 factors and three rebounds per sport, taking pictures 73.3% from the ground and 38.4% from past the arc on 13 makes an attempt.
Dante Allen 6’3 215 SG – Montverde (Villanova)
Allen proved to be an important piece for Montverde on the Metropolis of Palms, main his workforce to a 2nd place end. He’s a score-first guard who excelled in any respect three scoring ranges all through 4 video games. With a quick-release shot, Allen hit deep three-pointers, successfully drove to the basket, and utilized a wide range of floaters in site visitors. Allen had some defensive struggles at occasions on account of being a mediocre athlete, he excelled in straight-line drives and continuously completed above the rim with spectacular dunks in transition. General, it was a strong efficiency for the Villanova commit, as he averaged 18.5 factors, 4 rebounds, and 4.25 assists for the event, taking pictures 57.1% from the sphere and 45.1% from three-point vary on 31 makes an attempt over 4 video games.
Cayden Boozer 6’4 208 PG – Columbus (Duke)
Cayden Boozer possesses wonderful measurement for a degree guard and demonstrates full management of the sport. He performs to his strengths, utilizing a exceptional tempo and a robust understanding of the sport to constantly put his workforce in positions to win. All through the event, Boozer showcased his scoring means, making well timed baskets when crucial. He additionally utilized his imaginative and prescient and intangibles to arrange his teammates for fulfillment. Boozer successfully managed the offense within the half court docket, resulting in scores off set performs, and he excelled in transition, making the fitting selections that resulted in straightforward buckets. By the tip of the event, he averaged 11.25 factors and 5.5 assists per sport, taking pictures 52.7% total and 50% from past the arc on six makes an attempt.
Jamier Jones 6’6 220 SF – Oak Ridge (Windfall)
Jones had a strong displaying all through the week as he was on the core of his workforce’s 4th-place end. A powerful athletic ahead keen to combine it up in and across the paint, utilizing his power usually put him able for fulfillment. Jones can rebound in site visitors and is powerful sufficient with the ball to make performs for himself or his teammates. He makes use of his athleticism to attain towards extra outstanding defenders and power towards smaller guards. Jones continually makes use of his body in site visitors as he spent a ton of time on the line going 30-38 within the event. It was a productive week, averaging 23 factors, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Including a extra constant jumper will solely broaden his sport, as he shot 46% from the ground and 25% from past the arc on 16 makes an attempt.
