2018 Tru Ballaz Opening Day

By Dave Cordova

On Thursday night, Recruit the Bronx went to Frederick Douglass Academy III in The Bronx to check out the action on the first day of the Tru Ballaz High School Classic, which features teams from Westchester County, The Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn. Here are some of the standouts from the first night:

Michael Green III, 5-10, Point Guard, Mount St. Michael Academy, Class of 2019 - A small guard that is a ferocious defender. Is very quick. Makes quick moves to the basket & is adept at getting steals. Is dangerous from three-point range & is great at getting open for shots. Great at making other teams create turnovers.

Chris Jenkins, 6-7, Forward, Mount St. Michael Academy, Class of 2020

A player with plenty of size & has good moves in the paint. An intimidator in the post. Has ability to block shots and reacts to opponents very quickly on defense.

Willy Samsen, Forward, Byram Hills High School, 6-5, Class of 2019 - A dangerous shooter from three-point range that can hurt the opposition with scoring. Can move with or without the ball. Struggles when going into the lane for a layup.

Ibrahim Wattara, 6-5, Forward, Mount St. Michael Academy, Class of 2020 - A physical guard that has large hands and is good at getting rebounds. Has a lot of strength which helps him in the post. Has some struggles in shooting from long range.

Jalin Anderson, 6-1, Shooting Guard, Brooklyn Collegiate High School, Class of 2020 - Anderson has a long arm reach and is great at trailing rebounds. Has a good ability to block shots and is a force when blocking shots. Also finds ways to score when he has the ball in his hands and has great athleticism.

Frankie Williams, 5-10, Point Guard, Fannie Lou Hamer High School, Class of 2019 - A guard who has good movement on the floor with or without the ball and is very vocal with teammates. Has a nice shooters touch. Has a very good scoring ability and knows how to take over a game when he has the ball in his hands.

Glen JoJo Anderson, 5-8, Point Guard, Brooklyn Collegiate High School, Class of 2019 - A small guard who is lightning-quick on offense and is hard to guard. Can run his team efficiently and get the team going. He is also a player that is known for getting steals and leading fast-breaks on the court. Struggles with shooting consistently.

Anthony Rose, 6-3, Forward, Fannie Lou Hamer High School, Class of 2020 - Rose has a good size for a forward. Runs the floor well and also attacks the glass when going up for a rebound and plays bigger than his height. Is a very hard-working player that will do anything that is needed for his team to win.

Amahrie Simpkins, 6-4, Shooting Guard, Brooklyn Collegiate High School, Class of 2020 - A player with a lot of size & plenty of lateral movement. Has plenty of athleticism & toughness & is quick when getting to the hole. Struggles at finishing when going to the hole. Has a long wingspan, which helps him when he goes up for rebounds. Is fearless when going into the lane.

Tyree Morris, 6-2, Shooting Guard, Fannie Lou Hamer High School, Class of 2019 - Morris is a good shooter from long-range & can be dangerous when left open for a shot. Is always alert on the defensive end. Can run off screens & always manages to get open.

Majesty Johnson, 5-9, Point Guard, Brooklyn Collegiate High School, Class of 2020 - A small diminutive guard that is very flashy, but also manages to involve teammates. Has ability to play both the off-guard & lead guard positions on the court. Also has a very lethal jumpshot that can break down defenses.