NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School men’s basketball team captured its second straight New South Athletic Conference Tournament Championship after holding off the top-seeded Lighthouse Christian Makos 58-55 Sunday afternoon.

The Builders and Makos traded buckets through the first 10 minutes before Apprentice went on a 10-2 run to stretch a one-point lead into a nine-point lead with just under eight minutes to go in the first half. The Builder lead went to as many as 12 before the Makos started chipping away, trailing by just eight at halftime.

LCC came out in the second half and caused Apprentice to turn the ball over several times, trimming the lead down to as few as two with eight minutes to go after trailing by as many as 14 early in the second half. The Makos could never get over the proverbial hump, however, as the Builders answered each run with a basket to stretch the lead back out.

Lighthouse got the lead down to one point with under 10 seconds to go, but Avin Hawkins hit both ends of a 1-and-1 to seal the win.

Adrion Wall led all scorers with 24 points, including four three pointers. Donovan Means was a rebound short of a double-double with 11 points and nine boards.

The Makos were led by Chayse Culpepper and Daniel Poole with 18 points each, while NSAC Player of the Year Eddie Brown was held to just 11 points on the day, going 5-for-20 from the floor.

With the win, Apprentice improves to 22-5 on the season as they look ahead to the USCAA National Tournament set to begin in one week in Petersburg, Virginia. The Builders have been the No. 1 team in the national coach’s poll since the start of the calendar year.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics