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Tec's Top Guys: City of Palms Sophomores

19, Dec 2022

Tec's Top Guys: City of Palms Sophomores

FORT MYERS, FL—The City of Palms Classic is one of the best high school events on an annual basis. It boasts one of the most talented fields on the calendar, and this year was packed to the brim with talent. No different than any other year. 

I was in town for the tournament’s opening weekend, and I was privy to outstanding performance after outstanding performance. With all of the action I was able to see, I compiled a list of some of the top guys I was able to see, and I’ve divided them up by class. 

Starting with 2025, I’ll share my top guys over this Christmas week like a basketball advent calendar. 

 

Danny Carbuccia

White Plains, NY

Class
2025
|
Position
PG
|
Height
6'
|
National
71
National Pos. Rank
13
State
NR
State Pos. Rank
NR

 

I loved watching the Stepinac backcourt to kick off the weekend at City of Palms, and Danny Carbuccia was one of the guys I was most excited about when I was leaving Fort Myers. 

What I loved the most about his game was his approach. Early on, Carbuccia looked to get his teammates involved and to get the Stepinac offense flowing. He was able to get into the paint at will and kick the ball back out to the to get his guys shots from three or to get the ball swinging around the perimeter. After some time, Carbuccia was the one to take over as a scorer. He finished with 14 points which included a pair of 3-pointers. His stats don’t tell the entire story of how well he played, but those in attendance saw why he’s regarded as one of the better point guards in his class. 

 

Sadiq White

Bradenton, FL

Class
2025
|
Position
SF
|
Height
6' 7"
|
School Team
National
24
National Pos. Rank
9
State
5
State Pos. Rank
1

 

Myers Park in Fort Myers? It feels appropriate. In the first game for the Carolinian squad, they picked up an impressive win over a solid North Laurel group. One of the drivers behind their successful outing was sophomore forward Sadiq White. 

The 6-foot-8 forward is regarded as a top-50 player in the 2025 class, and he certainly looked the part with his 15 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. Active, long and athletic, White made plays all over the floor. A stat-stuffer, White can impact a game in a variety of ways, and that was apparent in Fort Myers.  

 

Alex Lloyd

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Class
2025
|
Position
CG
|
Height
6' 4"
|
School Team
National
47
National Pos. Rank
6
State
6
State Pos. Rank
2

 

As part of a Florida showcase bracket, Westminster Academy took on IMG Academy to start their weekend. While they didn’t get the W, the young south Florida squad showed plenty of fight when mounting a comeback, and 5-star guard Alex Lloyd helped lead the charge. 

Lloyd got going in the second half and was one of the primary contributors to the Lions’ surge. The 6-foot-4 guard thrives on both ends of the floor. In their game against IMG Blue, Lloyd showed his potent scoring ability with 16 points. He can score on all three levels and flexed that against the Ascenders. On the other end, he helped fluster the IMG Blue defense by using his length to bother opposing guards. He picked up four steals and helped get easy baskets in transition for Westminster. 

 

Tyler Jackson

Baltimore, MD

Class
2025
|
Position
PG
|
Height
6' 2"
|
School Team
National
26
National Pos. Rank
6
State
NR
State Pos. Rank
NR

 

Link Academy is one of the best, deepest teams in Fort Myers. Playing well against a team of that caliber is a surefire way to get noticed, and that’s what Saint Frances guard Tyler Jackson did on Sunday afternoon. 

The 6-foot-2 guard wowed those in attendance with his 26-point performance that put a scare in Link Academy. While Saint Frances came up short, Jackson was the player of the game for many onlookers. He dropped 26 points and hit huge shots while trying to his team to an upset win. His shot-making was impressive, but his overall activity was what won people over. On the glass and on defense, Jackson battled. He approached the game with a gritty mentality. It was a toughness that I’ve come to love and associate with Baltimore guards. 

 

 


Josh Tec
Editor-in-Chief

Josh Tec is a Georgia State graduate with a degree in journalism. Tec aspires to work in basketball media as his career continues. At Georgia State, he graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors and was recognized as a leader in the classroom. Outside of basketball, Tec loves movies and perpetually seeks out his next favorite film.