The national powerhouse teams, the big names tapped for NBA stardom, the thunderous roars of the fans that always accompany a memorable dunk will once again provide the unique storylines this year for the Culligan City of Palms Classic. Despite the coronavirus, the latest announcement by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) ensures that the 48th edition of the nation’s top high school basketball tournament will go on.
FHSAA officials announced that all winter sports, including basketball, will continue as scheduled, with practices starting later this fall. Tournament organizers are currently reaching out to schools scheduled to participate this year to let them know that it will be business as usual in 2020. Organizers have been preparing plans, all with the safety and well-being of players, fans and officials in mind.
Due to the current 50% capacity regulation in place at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, organizers are working with arena officials to determine the best plan for allowing fans at this year’s tournament. With that in mind they expect tickets to go on sale in mid-September for 6-day ticket holders and single day tickets to go on sale in mid-October.
While some out-of-state schools have been forced to cancel their trip to Southwest Florida, tournament executive director John Naylor assures fans that this year’s field will be top-notch (6 of the top 10 juniors in the country are from Florida and Georgia. In addition 4 of the top FHSAA teams will also be present). “This is without a doubt one of toughest years we’ve encountered in the 48 year history of the tournament. We are working diligently to make sure that the field for this year’s event is going to meet the expectations of all of our fans that have come to expect nothing but the best high school hoops in the nation.”
Meantime, continue to look for our newsletter each month with plenty of great hoops information and the latest updates on this year’s tournament. We also ask that you continue to follow us on all of our social media platforms and check out our website for any updates.
