Carmelo Anthony's son Kiyan Anthony's HS Long Island Lutheran opts out of winter tournament to play in the Jordan Holiday Classic

The Les Schwab Invitational is considered one of the most prestigious basketball tournaments during the winter season, but one team has now dropped out of it: Kiyan Anthony and Long Island Lutheran. Instead, the Crusaders will be facing off against the Boozer Twins and the Columbus Explorers in New York City on Saturday during the third annual Jordan Holiday Classic.

Long Island Lutheran, considered one of the best teams in the country and a favorite to win a state championship in New York, backed out of the tournament around late November. Les Schwab Invitational tournament director John McCallum confirmed this, noting that the school backed out due to a "logistical conflict."

The tournament will happen from Dec. 26-30 in Tacoma, Washington.

The Crusaders, ranked the No. 3 high school in the country, have been struggling since losing their top star to an injury during Long Island Lutheran's season opener against St. Joseph's on Nov. 30. Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony, had a nasty fall during that game, with LuHi falling to a 6-4 record as he missed nine games so far.

With Long Island Lutheran out, Washington's Annie Wright High School will replace the Crusaders. The school is considered a dark horse in the tournament, which will include powerhouses such as Gonzaga and La Lumiere.

Kiyan Antony is expected to return by Saturday's Jordan Holiday Classic game against the best team in the country, Christopher Columbus High School. When he was out, five-star junior Dylan Mingo and his big brother, four-star senior Kayden Mingo, stepped up and carried the team, especially during the City of Palms Classic last weekend.

Tough matches ahead for Kiyan Anthony and Long Island Lutheran

The Boozer Twins and Columbus will be the toughest matchup for Long Island Lutheran. However, once Kiyan Anthony returns to the active roster, more tough matchups await him.

On Jan. 19, LuHi will play five-star Miikka Muurinen and AZ Compass. The Crusaders will then take on four-star Notre Dame commit Jalen Haralson and four-star UConn commit Darius Adams and La Lumiere on Jan. 20.

Other tough matches will include Oak Hill Academy on Valentine's Day, before taking on five-star Arkansas commit Darius Acuff and IMG Academy on Feb. 15. Next, they will host the LuHi Post-Season Invitational from Feb. 21. However, their opponents have not been revealed yet.