Youngsters Rule Tru-Ballaz Thursday

BRONX, NY - Thursday night at Frederick Douglass Academy III, the Tru-Ballaz Pre-High School Classic was without some of the veteran star power we're used to but it was a great opportunity to showcase some of New York's up n' coming talent.

Mt. Saint Michael falls to Thurgood Marshall, 54-43

In the opening game, Mt. Saint Michael had its hands full against a steadfast TMA. After three quarters, the Mountainers were in a 38-29 hole as junior point guard Jalin Suber '17 pushed the tempo.

Senior Bryan Assie and 6'4" junior Malik Jackson provided the firepower for Thurgood Marshall that would eventually spell d-o-o-om for the Bronx Catholic School.

Assie led the way for TMA with 17 points with Jackson adding 16 points. Elijah Buchanan '17 was high man for Mount St. Michael with 17 points.

Iona Prep Lambasts Deer Park, 74-49

A disciplined but young Gaels squad was able to totally overwhelm Deer Park even without the services of their 4-star senior Virginia-bound point guard Ty Jerome. After the first quarter, the Long Island public school found themselves down 24-13.

Iona Prep 6'7" big man Josh Alexander '18 did a solid job of crashing the boards and the Gaels defense did a good job of keeping Deer Park's 6'2" go-to-guy Darien Jenkins '17 in check throughout most of the contest. Iona Preps lead continued to grow due in a large part to the offensive fireworks for 6'4" Bryce Wills '18.

Down 17 at the half, Deer Parks deficit swoll to 24 at the end of the third. Iona Prep actually subbed out in the fourth quarter but guard Chris Verre '17 kept the pressure on offensively en route to completely burying Deer Park.

Wills and Alexander led the way for Iona Prep with 14 points apiece followed by Verre who added 12 points. Rob Governale '16 paced Deer Park with 12 points.

St. Ray's wakes up to crush Saunders, 73-38

At the onset, St. Raymond seemed befuddled with the guard play of Saunders. The team's uber quick pintsized point guard Anthony Miller '16 was a hard guard for the Ravens. That was short lived as St. Ray's quickly brushed off the knee high body blows and took the lead with buckets by Omar Silverio '17.

Leading by two, to start the second quarter, Isaiah Washington '17 and Sid Wilson '17 ignited for a 7-0 run that put Saunders squarely in the rear view mirror by 9 points. Miller was feisty and competitive as was Vaughan Lenon '16 and Saunders managed to close the gap back to five. It would be a game of runs and St. Raymond's were bigger and better. At the half, the Raven were again comfortably ahead, 38-23.

In the third quarter, St. Ray's expanded its lead to 23 points before Saunders could respond. Soon, the Ravens would sub out. With impressive work inside from sophomore bigs Amadou Traore and Darius Lee, the Bronx Catholic School power would coast to victory.

Silverio paced St. Raymond with 18 points with Wilson contributing 17 points. Lenon scored a team high 13 points for Saunders.