Category: Apprentice

Builders Sweep Great Ships Classic

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School men’s basketball team swept through the 2025 Great Ships Classic with a pair of wins this weekend, knocking off Berkeley Saturday before blowing past Tidewater CC Sunday.

In Saturday’s matchup with Berkeley, the Builders and Knights were in a defensive struggle in the first half as neither team gave up much. Berkeley led by as many as nine in the frame, but the Builders started to break through, snatching the momentum prior to halftime by taking a 29-27 lead into the break.

In the second half, Apprentice notched up the intensity on both ends, shooting 22-of-34 in the second 20 minutes while holding the Knights to just 14 out of 31 shots made in the half.

Four Builders were in double figures, led by Jahlil Hope’s 25. Devon Brown added 20, while Jabari Brackett and Wayne Hedgepeth had 13 and 11, respectively.

On Sunday, the Builder offense clicked from the get go as Apprentice led wire-to-wire. The Storm kept the game within 15 points until the flood gates opened in the middle of the second half when the Builders started raining in three pointers, hitting 50 percent from beyond the arc in the second stanza.

Again, four Builders finished in double figures, led by Shamon Rosser’s 15 points. Brown was a rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine boards. Hope had 12, and Brackett had 10.

Apprentice will open up NSAC play Saturday on the road at South Carolina Central Christian.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; Image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson @shotsbyk8lyn

Mustangs, Builders Split Series at Roger Taylor Invitational

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — Tyus Williams poured in a game-high 30 points to lift Mid-Atlantic Christian University to an 85-82 victory over Greensboro College on Saturday in a back-and-forth battle that featured 10 ties and nine lead changes at the Roger Taylor Invitational.

Williams, a senior forward, was unstoppable from beyond the arc, hitting 4 of 6 three-pointers while adding five rebounds and two assists. His layup with 47 seconds remaining gave Mid-Atlantic Christian an 83-82 lead it would not relinquish.

“We knew it would come down to execution in the clutch,” said Mid-Atlantic Christian coach Charles Sims. “Tyus stepped up huge. We capitalized on their mistakes.”

The Mustangs also drained 9 of 16 three-pointers (56.3%) and leaned on 20 bench points to build a 44-43 halftime edge. Janus Shepherd chipped in 11 points and three assists for the Mustangs, while Clough nearly posted a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds.

In Friday’s game, MACU got a game-high 32 points from Janus Shepherd but fell to host NC Wesleyan 100-83.

In Friday’s opener, fellow New South member Apprentice School’s Shamon Rosser erupted for 20 of his 24 points in the second half, powering the Builders to a stunning 84-77 comeback victory over Greensboro.

Rosser, a guard/forward, was nearly perfect from the field (6-for-7) and solid from the free-throw line (11-for-17), adding eight rebounds and two steals to help Apprentice erase a 35-21 halftime deficit. The Builders outscored the Pride 63-42 after the break, shooting an eye-popping 74.1% from the field in the second half.

On Saturday, Apprentice struggled against NC Wesleyan, falling 66-51. Builder sophomore forward Jahlil Hope tied for leading scorer with 14 points.

Image courtesy Carl Lewis

Apprentice Defense Stifles Villa Maria for Second Consecutive National Title

BUFFALO, N.Y. – For the fourth time in program history, The Apprentice School men’s basketball team hoisted a national championship trophy after knocking off No. 3 Villa Maria Friday night 64-43.

The Builders held the Vikings to just eight points in the first half as they stormed out to a 33-8 halftime lead in front of the home crowd. The eight point half is the lowest ever in a title game, surpassing the previous mark set in since 2014 when Washington Adventist held Tennessee Temple to just 17 points in a half.

The Vikings put forth a fight to start the second half, going on an 8-0 run to cut the lead down to 33-16, but Apprentice never backed down, keeping Villa at bay all night and winning by the second largest margin in a title game since 2008.

With the win, the senior class of nine players will go out with back-to-back national championships, finishing their careers on top of the mountain of the USCAA.

Chris Hinmon was named to the All-Tournament team after leading all scorers Friday with 16 points off the bench. Donovan Means also earned All-Tournament honors with a double-double of 10 points and 10 boards in the championship game.

Adrion Wall was named Tournament MVP just days after being named the Division I Player of the Year. He finished Friday night with 14 points. Wayne Hedgepeth also had 14 points.

Head coach Michael Gainey becomes the first basketball alum to lead the Builders to a national championship, doing so in his first season at the helm.

This is the second time in program history that the Builders have gone back-to-back, winning their first two national championships in the 2001-02 and 02-03 seasons.

Story courtesy Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy Santino Tarquino/USCAA

Apprentice Cruises, MACU falls in National Quarterfinals

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The fourth-seeded Apprentice School men’s basketball team put up big numbers in the second half to advance to the USCAA semifinals with a 85-61 win over No. 5 Southeastern Illinois Tuesday night at Burt Flickinger Arena. Meanwhile, sixth-seed Mid-Atlantic Christian lost a hard-fought battle with No. 3 Villa Maria 60-55, ending the Mustang’s first appearance in the national tournament.

With the win, the Builders will take on No. 8 Berkeley in the semifinals Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Burt Flickinger Arena. The Knights knocked off top-seeded Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse, 81-68, in their quarterfinal.

Both teams came out firing in a back-and-forth affair, finding themselves tied up at 11-11 five minutes into the contest. The Builders tried to pull away, extending their lead to six, but the Falcons fought back to retake the lead at 23-20 with 6:54 to go in the first half. Apprentice answered with a 12-0 run to regain the advantage before SIC responded with five straight points to cut the lead back to 32-28. The Builders finished the half on a 6-2 run to take a 38-30 lead into intermission.

From there, the game was firmly in the hands of the defending national champs. After the start of the second half teetered around a 14 point lead for Apprentice, the Builders went on a 21-3 run to extend their lead to 70-40 midway through the second period. The Falcons never really caught any momentum from that point on as the Builders held the lead around the 20 point mark the remainder of the game to advance to the semifinals for a third consecutive season.

Adrion Wall, the Player of the Year for USCAA Division I, led all scorers with 19 points, coming up one rebound and three assists shy of a triple-double. He also added a block and two steals to his stat line without turning the ball over. Donovan Means added 13 points with seven boards while playing in foul trouble, and Wayne Hedgepeth came off the bench to add 12 points.

Story and image courtesy Apprentice Athletics

Apprentice, MACU Representing NSAC in Small College Tournament

BUFFALO, N.Y. – For the first time, the New South Athletic Conference has sent two teams to the USCAA Division I Small College National Tournament which begins tonight.

Apprentice, which received a fourth seed, will start its defense of the national championship against fifth-seeded Southeastern Illinois in the opening round Tuesday in Buffalo, New York. Apprentice is on the same side of the bracket as top-seeded Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse and eighth-seeded Berkeley.

Mid-Atlantic Christian is in the tournament for the first time in program history. The sixth-seeded Mustangs will take on No. 3 Villa Maria. Last year’s runner-up Lyon claimed the No. 2 seed and will take on seventh-seeded Bryant & Stratton-Buffalo. The Bobcats are co-hosting the event with Villa Maria. round.

Live video will be made available for every game of the tournament courtesy of the USCAA Sports Network on a pay-per-view basis. Live stats will also be available for every game.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics

Lighthouse Advances to Title Game with 82-68 Win over Apprentice

MILTON, Fla. – Top-seed Lighthouse Christian downed 4th-seed Apprentice Saturday afternoon in the New South Athletic Conference semifinals 82-68.

The Builders jumped out to a 15-3 lead in the first 5:30 of the contest, but the Makos answered by holding Apprentice to just three points over the next eight minutes to claw back into the game. The game went back-and-forth throughout the remainder of the first half with Lighthouse holding a narrow 33-32 lead at the break.

The game continued to flip back and forth through much of the second half, but a 9-0 run for the Makos just past the 10:00 mark of the second half put the game in the home team’s hands as they ultimately held on for the win.

Sam Benton, Jr. led the Makos with 22 points. Adrion Wall led Apprentice with 22 points, while Donovan Means notched a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Lighthouse advances to the NSAC Championship game for the second consecutive year. The Makos face Mid-Atlantic Christian Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern/2:00 pm Central. The game will be streamed live on the JMU Mohawks Sports Network.

The Builders will now await their selection into the USCAA National Tournament to take place starting March 11 in Buffalo, New York. The bid show is set for Monday afternoon at 12:40 p.m. Eastern time on the USCAA Sports Network.

Thanks to Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics for this story.

Seeds Hold in Quarterfinals, Semis Set for Today

MILTON, Fla. – The top four seeds in the 2025 NSAC Men’s Basketball Tournament held serve on Friday, leading to what promises to be an exciting pair of games today.

In Friday’s first matchup, 3rd-seed John Melvin (FL) held off 6th-seeded Atlantis 67-64. The Atlanteans had the ball with under five seconds to play but could not connect on a shot to tie.

Second-seed Mid-Atlantic Christian kept upset-minded Beacon at bay 88-83.

Apprentice, the 4th seed, cruised to a 102-71 victory over SC Central Christian in the day’s third game. The Builders set a new program record for rebounds in a game, pulling down 74.

In the nightcap, top-seeded Lighthouse Christian struggled with upstart Southeast Christian, the 9th seed, for most of the first half before pulling away for a 93-66 win.

That sets up Saturday’s bracket as the Mustangs and Mohawks will meet at 2:00 pm Eastern/1:00 pm Central, followed by the Makos and Builders in a rematch of last year’s championship. That game is set to tip off at 4:00 pm Eastern/3:00 pm Central. The winners will advance to meet for the title Sunday at 3:00 pm Eastern/2:00 pm Central time.

All games are being streamed live at Channel One – JMU-Mohawks

Men’s Basketball All-Academic Team Recognized

The New South Athletic Conference is proud to honor the 2025 Men’s Basketball All-Academic Team, comprised off all players who are carrying a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale.

“At the small college level, more than any other college level, academic progress and excellence are still cornerstones of athletic success.” said NSAC commissioner Mike Davis. “That’s why I take special interest in honoring these 53 young men who lead the way in a well-rounded college experience.”

The Apprentice School

  • Clifton Goode
  • Wayne Hedgepeth
  • Chris Hinmon
  • Montrell Jackson
  • Donovan Means

Atlantis University

  • Santiago Inssuarlde
  • Jose Rosario
  • Jatez Ward
  • Artem Sorokin
  • Samuel Jiménez

Beacon College

  • Jovan Bell
  • Jared Carter
  • Bryce Contreras
  • Ernesto Hichez
  • Michael Turner
  • Jordique Vincent
  • Cooper White

John Melvin Christian College (FL)

  • Elijah Berger
  • Dayne Bordelon
  • Arnez Bryant 
  • Tyler Camplin
  • Korey Catchings
  • Tyvin Garrison
  • Nick Gikas
  • Evan Griffin
  • Jaedon Sisk
  • Joshua Steen
  • Javier Valerezo

John Melvin University (LA)

  • Richard Casler
  • Tayshaun Columb
  • Kaimauri Hodges
  • Landen Istre
  • Kyle Roach
  • Nate Smith
  • Deonne Williams

Lighthouse Christian College

  • Michael Ribeiro
  • Akok Shan

Mid-Atlantic Christian University

  • Arius Alston
  • Stewart Clough
  • Elijah Dias
  • Jake Harper
  • Uriah Logan
  • Kaylon Sampson
  • Janus Shepherd
  • Janai Williams
  • Terrance Williams
  • Tyus Williams

South Carolina Central Christian College

  • Kevin Butler
  • Tavion McPherson
  • Henoch Mukendi
  • Cedric Shelby
  • Travis Stroud

Southeast Christian College

  • Calvin Harrigan
  • Lawrence Ruffins III
  • Jordan Stevenson
  • Jaden Victor
  • Marvin Windom

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Seedings, Bracket Set for 2025 Tournament

MILTON, Fl. – With the final conference games of the season in the books, the seedings have been finalized for the 2025 New South Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament beginning this Thursday outside of Pensacola, Florida.

Lighthouse enters the tournament as the top seed for the second consecutive season, this time sporting a perfect 13-0 conference record. The Makos are also the hosts for the event.

Action begins Thursday at 6:00 pm Central time when 8th-seed John Melvin (LA) faces Southeast Christian, the 9th seed. The winner of that game goes on the meet Lighthouse Friday at 7:00 pm Central.

The championship game will tip off Sunday at 2:00 pm Central.

All games will take place at the Lighthouse Gym, 8604 Bobby Brown Road, Milton, Florida, and will be streamed live on the JMU Mohawks Sports Network.