NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Despite trailing for a majority of the game, the No. 1-ranked Apprentice School men’s basketball team battled to claim a 94-89 win over Blue Lights College in the New South Athletic Conference opener for both teams Saturday afternoon.

The Thoroughbreds withstood an early 8-0 push by the Builders, responding with an 8-0 run of their own to keep the game going back-and-forth early on. With the score in favor of the Builders at 24-18 midway through the first half, Blue Lights answered with a 19-4 run to take a 37-28 lead late in the period. BLC led the game at the half, 45-41, and held on to the advantage much of the second half.

In its first game under interim coach Denzel Johnson, Blue Lights (7-4 overall, 0-1 NSAC) led 72-66 at the midway point of the second half before the Builders rattled off seven straight points over a 1:53 span to retake the lead for the first time since halfway through the first period at 73-72. The game teetered back and forth before Apprentice (10-3, 1-0) reeled off a 7-0 spurt with 2:30 to play to take a 92-87 lead, a lead that would hold to give the Builders their first conference win of the season.

Sam Benton, Jr. led five Thoroughbreds in double-figure scoring with 23. Donovan Means finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds for Apprentice, 15 of those points coming in the second half. Five other Builders finished in double figures.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com