JMCC Knocks Off Apprentice, MACU Puts Away JMU at Christmas Classic

TOCCOA FALLS, Ga. – Trailing by as many as 27, USCAA third-ranked Apprentice mounted a massive comeback to make it a game before falling just short in a 108-101 loss to John Melvin Christian College (FL) Friday afternoon at the NSAC North-South Christmas Classic.

JMCC shot over 70 percent in the first half to take a lead as big as 27 points before sitting at a 60-35 lead at intermission. From there, the Builders started chipping away, winning each media timeout period all the way down to the under-4 when Apprentice trailed by just three at 93-90. JMCC did just enough to hold off the Builders to get the win down the stretch.

The Builders’ Donovan Means scored a career high 32 points to lead all scorers. Josh Wyatt led the Mohawks with 26. JMCC went 44-for-48 at the free throw line in the win.

In the nightcap, Mic-Atlantic Christian fell behind by double-digits in the first half, only to take the lead after intermission and pull away late to defeat John Melvin University (LA) 88-74.

Keith Shakes scored 27 points to lead the Mustangs to their first NSAC win. Richard Cassler of JMU led all scorers with 29.

The NSAC Christmas Classic is a three-day event pitting Apprentice and MACU from the North Division facing JMCC (FL), JMU (LA), and Atlantis from the South Division in a round-robin format.

Play continues Saturday at 2:00 pm Eastern time when Apprentice faces #7 Atlantis followed by John Melvin Christian College and MACU at 4:00 pm.

Thanks to Walker McCrary/gobuilders.com for his help with this story.

Brown Leads Makos to Pair of Wins in KY, Earns POTW

Lighthouse Christian picked up two road wins last week to improve to 8-2 on the season and was led by none other than Eddie Brown.

The defending NSAC Player of the Year continued to bolster his resume against Simmons College on Friday night, shooting 7-of-16 from the floor (3-of-6 from three) and a perfect 6-of-6 from the line for 23 points in an 81-62 win.

On Saturday, the junior guard added 26 points while snagging six rebounds in an impressive win over NCCAA second-ranked Campbellsville-Harrodsburg.

For an outstanding two days’ work in the Bluegrass State, the Makos’ Eddie Brown has been named the NSAC Player of the Week for a record third time.

Congrats, Eddie!

Makos Pick Up Two Wins in Leesburg

LEESBURG, Fl. – Lighthouse Christian made the most of its two-night junket to Leesburg, Florida, picking up NSAC wins over Beacon and Southeast Christian on consecutive nights.

The Makos (6-2 overall, 3-0 NSAC) fell behind early on Monday night to the Blazers, who played inspired ball and took an early six-point advantage, but a 12-0 LCC run put the Makos on top for good. After leading by as many as 20 points, Beacon (2-8, 1-1) chipped away to close the gap to 87-74 at the buzzer.

After playing Monday’s game on Southeast’s home floor, the Makos felt right at home on Tuesday night, jumping out to 7-0 and 14-4 advantages over the struggling Eagles (0-8, 0-5) and never looked back in cruising to a 105-68 victory.

The wins catapult Lighthouse to the top of the NSAC standings.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Carter Named NSAC Player of the Week

When Beacon College opponents warn, “Shooter!”, to their teammates, it can only mean one thing:

Jared Carter is open.

The 6’5″ guard from Sparta, Tennessee is indeed a shooter and a good one, averaging 48.8 percent from long range, ranking 4th in the USCAA among players having taken at least 40 shots from beyond the arc (he’s actually in something of a slump. He chalked 65.1 percent in junior college). Carter averages 20.9 points per game, second only to his teammate Ernesto Hichez among D1 players through eight games.

Carter’s 34 points led the Blazers to 99-91 upset over #8 Atlantis on Friday night, giving BC its first NSAC win. For his efforts, Jared Carter is the NSAC Player of the Week.

Congrats, Jared!

Image courtesy beaconcollege.edu

Blazers Stun Atlantis for First Conference Win 99-91

LEESBURG, Fl. – Beacon College picked up a win in its NSAC opener Friday night with a 99-91 victory over USCAA 8th-ranked Atlantis.

The Blazers (2-7 overall, 1-0) jumped out early lead that ballooned to 15 points. The Atlanteans began to claw back toward the end of the first half, trimming the deficit to 50-41 at the intermission.

Emerging from halftime, Atlantis (4-5, 1-1) showcased a renewed spirit and tenacity. Demonstrating heightened defensive pressure, the visitors turned the tides momentarily and retook the lead, but the Blazers quickly reclaimed control of the game expanding their lead back to double digits. AU mounted a fierce comeback as the clock wound down, reducing the gap to just four points. However, a flurry of late fouls proved detrimental, allowing Beacon to methodically extend their lead through free throws, sealing the hard-fought victory.

This loss marks the fourth consecutive setback for Atlantis after four straight wins.

Story and image courtesy athleticsau.com

Three NSAC Teams in USCAA Top 10

The first USCAA men’s basketball rankings of the 2024-25 season are out, and the New South Conference is well represented.

Apprentice, the defending Division 1 national champions, enter the Week One rankings at number two behind undefeated Villa Maria.

Atlantis debuts at seventh despite dropping three games on their New York road trip last week.

Mid-Atlantic Christian rounds out the top 10.

Builders Drop OT Heartbreaker for First Loss

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – Adrion Wall scored a game-high 22 points, including hitting a shot to force overtime, but The Apprentice School men’s basketball team fell in the overtime period to NC Wesleyan Tuesday night 78-75.

The Builders (3-1 overall, 0-0 NSAC) jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead before the Bishops went on an 8-0 run to take their first lead of the game just four minutes in. The teams battled back and forth for the majority of the first half, but Apprentice got the momentum going into halftime, going on a 15-4 run late in the half to lead by as many as six before a 33-30 lead at intermission.

The Builders came out of half with the early advantage, stretching their lead to as many as 11 with a 10-2 run to start the half. NCW (3-4) kept battling on through the second half, keeping AS in arm’s reach before tying the game with 6:13 left and taking their first lead of the second half just 30 seconds later. The Bishops held the lead for the majority of the remaining time, but Wall hit a three pointer with four seconds left to force overtime.

In overtime, NC Wesleyan scored the first four points of the extra period in the first 40 seconds. After Donovan Means hit a layup at the 1:53 mark to cut the lead to one, the Bishops hit a layup and a free throw to get the advantage back up to four. Karree Smith hit a layup with nine seconds left to cut the lead to 77-75, and after the Bishops went 1-for-2 at the line, the Builders had a long heave at the buzzer to try and force a second overtime, but the shot fell short to give the Bishops a nail-biting win.

Wall’s 22 points included 4-of-10 from beyond the arc along with three blocks, three steals and a pair of assists. Smith finished with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting while Jayden Eason and Means each added 10.

The Builders shot just 6-of-22 from beyond the arc, while the Bishops pulled down 35 offensive rebounds and had 30 second chance points.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com

Rhome’s Double-Double Earns POTW honors

Southeast Christian College forward Naysean Rhome racked up a double-double performance this past Saturday. The transfer from Pasco-Hernando State scored 23 points to lead the Eagles against Trinity College of Florida on Saturday, as well as grabbing 14 boards. For his outstanding work, the sophomore from Eustis, Florida has been named the NSAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.

Congrats, Naysean!

Atlantis Drops Road Trip Opener

ALBANY, N.Y. – Atlantis opened a three game road trip to New York with a hard-fought loss Thursday night 76-65 to Bryant & Stratton-Albany.

Atlantis (4-2 overall, 1-0 NSAC) began the game with an impressive display, commanding a 36-30 lead at halftime. Ethan Barnes emerged as the standout player for AU, showcasing his scoring prowess by netting 15 points with an impressive shooting efficiency of 7-of-10 from the field. Supporting him was Santiago Insaurralde, who contributed a solid 12 points. Folayemi Salako rounded out the offensive effort with 10 points and five crucial rebounds.

As the second half unfolded, B&S-Albany staged a remarkable comeback, outscoring Atlantis 46-29. The home team displayed extraordinary shooting accuracy, hitting 95.2% of their shots after halftime. Trent McNeill led the charge, pouring in 17 points, while Jalen Brown added a valuable 15 points to the scoreboard. The Bobcats exploited second-chance opportunities, dominating that aspect by a margin of 12-4, and their bench players contributed significantly, adding a combined 28 points.

Head coach Frankie Hernandez will seek to address these issues and build on the team’s solid first-half performance as it prepares for its next challenge, facing Bryan & Stratton – Syracuse this Friday and Saturday.

Story and image courtesy athleticsau.com

Beacon Shines for First Win of the Year

LEESBURG, Fl. – In a game that was tied at intermission, Beacon College broke it open late in the second half to claim its first win of the year 80-73 over Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Monday night.

Ernesto Hichez, a 6’6″ freshman forward from the Dominican Republic, carded a double-double in the victory with 30 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Blazers (1-4 overall, 0-0 NSAC). Six-foot-five guard Jared Carter, a junior from Sparta, Tennessee, added 21 points. Both players had the hot hand with Hichez shooting a blistering 13-of-19 (68%) from the field, mainly on driving layups, and Carter connecting on 7-of-13 (54%), many of those from outside. The Blazers as a whole were in the zone, shooting 54% on the night.

Beacon returns to action Wednesday taking on the Edward Waters JV squad in Jacksonville, Florida.