Category: Apprentice

All-Academic Teams Announced

The New South Athletic Conference is proud to announce the 2026 Men’s Basketball All-Academic Team, comprised of student-athletes sporting a 3.0 or higher GPA.

“Now more than ever, the importance of education is paramount, and we in the NSAC take that seriously,” says commissioner Mike Davis. “While college sports elsewhere become more and more consumed by other interests, the NSAC continues to recognize the ‘student’ in ‘student-athlete.’ I am so proud of each of these young people and they institutions they represent.”

2026 All-Academic Team MBB

APPRENTICE

  • Wayne Hedgepeth
  • Donovan Means
  • Joel Maxey

ATLANTIS

  • Samuel Jimenez
  • Santiago Insaurralde
  • Artem Sorokin

BARBER-SCOTIA

  • Jakobie Abram
  • Channing Beadles
  • Christian Nickerson

BEACON

  • Cooper White
  • Noah Wilhelm
  • Jovan Bell
  • Ernesto Hichez
  • Tre’von Redd
  • Sean James

LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN

  • Eddie Brown
  • Joseph Bob Wiltz
  • Canaan Grays

MID-ATLANTIC CHRISTIAN

  • Tyus Williams
  • Janus Shepherd
  • Stewart Clough
  • Janai Williams
  • Terrence Williams
  • Uriah Logan

MILLENNIA ATLANTIC

  • Ty’rion Denson

SC CENTRAL

  • Kansas Nichols
  • Tyrek Dawson
  • Christian Braxton
  • Aron Escobar

SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN

  • Coy Sizemore
  • Tasir Best
  • Calvin Harrigan
  • Ixion Toro
  • Jaden Victor
  • Karlton Walton
  • Marvin Windom
  • Bernard Standley
  • Ranoldo Alcantara
  • Darwin Huerfano Grieco
  • Carey Davis

URBE

  • Gianmario Fernandez
  • Ethan Fernandez
  • Hector Saavedra
  • Joseph Behrend
  • Reynier Olivar
  • Gabriel Fernandez
  • Ronal Hodelin
  • Luis Carias
  • Jose Suazo
  • Diego Ramos
  • Yasmany Flores

Apprentice, Atlantis to Carry the NSAC Flag to National Tournaments

PITTSBURGH – Three teams will represent the New South Athletic Conference in next week’s USCAA Small College National Basketball Tournaments in Buffalo, New York.

The Apprentice School men’s basketball team will look to win their third straight USCAA National Tournament as they claimed the No. 6 seed, announced by the national office in the selection show Tuesday morning.

The Builders, fresh off winning their third NSAC Tournament Championship, will take on third-seeded Bryant & Stratton – Syracuse on March 3.

The Atlantis men grabbed the eighth seed and will face top-seed Bloomfield in first round action

The Apprentice School women’s basketball team is back in the national tournament for the first time since 2023 as they claimed the No. 6 seed. The Builders, fresh off winning their first NSAC championship in program history, will take on third-seeded Paul Quinn on March 3.

Game times, ticket information, and more can be found at USCAA Small College National Championships.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics

Apprentice Bests URBE in NSAC Championship

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – For the third time in four years, The Apprentice School men’s basketball team can call itself New South Athletic Conference Champions as they took down top-seeded URBE University in a 69-60 classic Sunday afternoon.

The Builders scored the first eight points of the game and 20 of the first 25 to set the tone, but the Tigers never went away, clawing their way back into the game at the midway point of the game. URBE scored the final six points of the first half and 14 of the first 18 points of the second half to tie the game at 43-43 with 12:40 to go in the game.

Apprentice never wavered, though, going on an 8-1 run to push the lead back out to seven at 51-44. The lead pushed out to double digits just moments later and stayed there until the final moments of the contest.

Donovan Means paced the Builders with 17 points off the bench, earning him Tournament MVP honors. Jahlil Hope added 12 and Devon Brown had 11, earning them each spots on the All-Tournament Team. They were joined by Atlantis’s Nikko Landon, Beacon’s Ernesto Hinchez, and URBE’s Luis Carias and Ronal Hodelin.

The Builders now await the USCAA bid show Monday afternoon at 12:40 p.m. to see where they are in the rankings headed into the national tournament. Ranked seventh in the latest coach’s poll, Apprentice is looking to win its third straight national title.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy DeMetri Washington/@pixxbydk

Top Seeds Apprentice and URBE Move on to Championship Game

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The seeds held in Saturday’s NSAC Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinals.

In the first game, 2nd-seed Apprentice used a strong second half to pull away from 3rd seed Atlantis University for a 68-57 victory.

Jabari Brackett and Jahlil Hope each scored 14 points to lead the Builders, who shot 51.9% after halftime and outscored the Atlanteans 37-28 over the final 20 minutes. Devon Brown added 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Shamon Rosser chipped in 10 points off the bench.

Atlantis led briefly in the first half and shot 50% before the break but cooled to 29% in the second half. Nikko Landon paced the visitors with 15 points, while Santiago Insaurralde scored 16 off the bench before reinjuring the ankle he sprained last week and leaving the game. Elijah Gayle added 10.

In the day’s final contest, top-seed URBE University led from wire to wire and pulled away in the second half to down 4th-seed Beacon College 72-55.

Luis Carias scored 24 points to lead the Tigers, who improved to 20-1 on the season. Ronal Hodelin added 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Hector Saavedra chipped in 14 points as URBE outscored Beacon 41-31 after halftime.

Beacon struggled offensively, shooting 31.3% from the field and 7 of 29 from 3-point range. Ernesto Hichez led the Blazers with 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Tony Wade finished with 10 points. Chris Lampkins added nine points and 10 rebounds.

URBE led 31-24 at the break and steadily extended the margin behind efficient shooting and a strong performance at the foul line, where it went 19 of 25.

Saturday’s outcomes mean the top two seeds, URBE and Apprentice, will meet Sunday at 3:00 pm for the 2026 NSAC Men’s Basketball title.

Apprentice, URBE Cruise into NSAC Semis

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – For the third time in three weeks, The Apprentice School men’s basketball team was victorious over Mid-Atlantic Christian, winning in the New South Athletic Conference quarterfinals Friday evening 70-58.

Both teams traded buckets through the early portion of the game, but the Builders rattled off a 12-1 run to take control midway through the first half. After the Mustangs clawed their way back to tie the game up at 40-40 early in the second half, Apprentice used another big run to push the lead out to 13 points with eight minutes to go.

From there, the Builders maintained their cushion to earn their fourth straight trip to the NSAC Tournament semifinals.

Jahlil Hope and Devon Brown each had 14 points to pace the home team, while Wayne Hedgepeth and Shamon Rosser had 10 each.

The Builders will take on Atlantis tomorrow in the semifinals in a matchup of the Nos. 7 and 8 teams in the USCAA Division I Coaches Poll just two days before bids are announced for the national tournament. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.

In the nightcap, top-seed URBE University pulled away in the second half to punch its ticket for the semifinals with a 75-55 win over 8th-seed Southeast Christian.

Luis Carias scored 20 points to lead URBE, which outscored Southeast Christian 45-27 after halftime. Hector Saavedra added 14 points, and Ethan Fernandez came off the bench to knock down four 3-pointers. Ronal Hodelin contributed 18 rebounds to anchor a 52-39 edge on the glass.

Southeast was a victim of attrition. Two Eagles players went down with injuries and three others fouled out, leaving SECC with just four players on the floor in the last minute of play. Coy Sizemore led the Eagles with 15 points, while Lomar Sparrow posted 13 points and 17 rebounds. Ronald Rodman added 11 points.

URBE advances to face 4th-seed Beacon on Saturday at 7:30 pm in the tournament semifinals.

Apprentice story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics

Apprentice Clinches #2 Seed with Win Over MACU

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School men’s basketball team used a great shooting performance Thursday night in a 108-78 win over MACU, clinching the No. 2 seed in next week’s New South Athletic Conference Tournament in the process.

The Builders and Mustangs traded blows early, but Apprentice, trailing 13-6, used a 20-6 run to gain control in the game. The Builders stretched their first half lead to as many as 18 before blowing the doors off the gym in the second half on the way to a 30-point win.

Apprentice (13-8 overall, 5-2 NSAC) hit a season-high 16 three-pointers in the game as six Builders finished in double figures. Shamon Rosser and Monte Rudolph led the way with 16 points each off the bench, while Jabari Brackett added 15. Donovan Means returned to the lineup to add 14 points, and Devon Brown had 13. Wayne Hedgepeth contributed 12 points to the cause.

Elijah Dias led MACU with 16 points.

With the loss, the Mustangs (7-15, 3-3) fell into a tie for sixth place in the NSAC standings with South Carolina Central, but they lose the tiebreaker. As a result, the Builders and Mustangs will meet for a third time in three weeks in the quarterfinals next Friday in Newport News.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; image courtesy Apprentice Athletics

Apprentice Topples MACU 79-71

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Jahlil Hope scored 23 points and Devon Brown grabbed 13 rebounds as Apprentice defeated Mid-Atlantic Christian 79-71 Wednesday night, handing the Mustangs their first conference loss of the season.

The Builders (12-7 overall, 4-2 NSAC) dominated the boards, outrebounding the Mustangs 47-29.

MACU (7-11, 3-1) led 30-26 at halftime, but AS went on a 13-3 second-half run to take the lead and pull away, leading by as many as 12.

Jabari Bracket came off the bench to add 17 points while Wayne Hedgepeth had 10.

Tyus Williams led the Mustangs with 17 points.

The loss knocks MACU from the NSAC unbeaten column and clinches the tournament top seed for URBE University, which has finished its conference slate at 6-0.

Image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson @shotsbyk8lyn

Concord Classic to Pit NSAC Rivals This Weekend

CONCORD, N.C. – The highlight of the 2026 NSAC men’s basketball regular season happens this weekend as Barber-Scotia College hosts the Concord Classic.

“Weather forced the cancellation of last weekend’s Pensacola Classic, but neither rain nor snow nor dark of night will stop us this weekend,” joked NSAC commissioner Mike Davis. “But seriously, we’ll be keeping an eye on the forecast, but the teams are all here and ready to tip off.”

With several upsets already in the books this season, this weekend is being highly anticipated.

All games will take place at Newsom Gym on the campus of Barber-Scotia at 145 Cabarrus Avenue W, Concord, North Carolina. Tickets are available at the door, and you can watch the live stream here.

Friday (Day 1) January 30

2:00 PM — SC Central 75, Atlantis 72

4:00 PM —Apprentice 74, Southeast Christian 42

6:00 PM — Beacon 96, Barber-Scotia 80

8:00 PM — MACU 77, Millennia 50

Saturday (Day 2) January 31

12:00 AM — Beacon vs SC Central

2:00 PM — Apprentice vs Atlantis

4:00 PM — Barber-Scotia vs Millennia

6:00 PM — Southeast Christian vs MACU

Sunday (Day 3) February 1

10:00 AM — Millennia vs Apprentice

12:00 PM — MACU vs Beacon

2:00 PM — SC Central vs Southeast Christian

4:00 PM — Atlantis vs Barber-Scotia

B-SC Hands Builders Second Loss in MLK Classic

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Nicholas Gravely scored 19 points and Jalen Mattocks added 20 off the bench as Barber-Scotia pulled away in the second half to defeat The Apprentice School 84-73 at the MLK Classic Sunday afternoon.

The Builders were without the services of All-American guard Donovan Means, who was injured in the first half of Saturday’s loss to SC Central Christian and is listed as day-to-day.

The game was tied 34-34 at halftime before Barber-Scotia (6-5, 2-1) used a 50-point second half to take control. Mattocks was a key factor, going 12 of 15 from the free-throw line and grabbing 14 rebounds to go with his 20 points. Landon Griffin finished with 17 points and three steals, while Londen Roseman chipped in 13.

Barber-Scotia shot 49.1% from the field and converted 22 of 30 free throws.

Apprentice (10-7, 2-2) was led by Shamon Rosser, who scored a team-high 22 points off the bench. Ahmiir Colpetro added 17 points, while Jahlil Hope posted a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Despite a 44-38 rebounding edge, the Builders were held to 37.3% shooting as the Sabers sealed the road victory.

SC Central Shocks Apprentice 89-80

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — South Carolina Central Christian pulled off an 89-80 upset over The Apprentice School Saturday night in the MLK Classic.

The Gladiators (2-10 overall, 1-3 NSAC) used an efficient offense and balanced scoring to earn the win against the Builders (10-6, 2-1). Nazir Sample scored 14 points and dished out nine assists, while Davarious Johnson added 13 points to pace the visitors. David Lias contributed 13 and McCoy Bell chipped in 12 as S4C shot 50.8 % from the field, including 40.9 % from 3-point range.

Apprentice was led by Jahlil Hope’s 30 points and Wayne Hedgepeth’s 16, but struggled to find consistent perimeter scoring, finishing 2-for-13 from deep. Ahmiir Colpetro added 10 points for the Builders.

South Carolina Central Christian built a first-half lead and held off multiple Apprentice rallies to secure the NSAC road victory.

Image courtesy SC Central Christian Athletics