Category: Apprentice

Pacheco-Ortiz’s Double-Double Paces Builders Past Roadrunners

CLIFTON FORGE, Va. – Angel Pacheco-Ortiz recorded a double-double as the Apprentice School men’s basketball team pushed past Mountain Gateway Community College Saturday afternoon 73-58.

The Builders led wire-to-wire, starting the game with an 8-0 run and never looking back. Apprentice held the Roadrunners scoreless through the first 5:21 of the game in their home gym and stretched the lead to as many as 19 by halftime.

MGCC came back in the second half, cutting the lead down to as few as six with just under four minutes to go, but the Builders finished the final four minutes on a 13-2 run to put the game away.

Pacheco-Ortiz finished with 12 points and 11 boards to lead 12 Builders who put points in the scoring column. He was the only Builder to finish with double figures.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com

Builders’ Means Named MBB Player of the Week

Donovan Means of Apprentice is being recognized as the first men’s basketball Player of the Week for 2023-24 by the New South Conference.

The 6’3″ freshman guard from Chesterfield, Virginia made an immediate impact leading the Builders in their first two matches of the season, averaging 19.5 points, 3 steals per game, was 5-10 from 3, and 10-11 from the free throw line for the weekend’s action.

Congratulations to Donovan Means, the NSAC Player of the Week!

Apprentice Splits Benchoff Tournament Matchups

MONT ALTO, Pa. – Freshman Donovan Means averaged 19.5 points per game as the Apprentice School men’s basketball team opened up the 2023-24 season with a split at this weekend’s Benchoff Tournament, hosted by Penn State Mont Alto.

GAME ONE – PSU York 79, Apprentice 70
PSU York jumped out to an early 14-10 lead before the Builders went on an 11-0 run over a four minute span to take a 21-14 lead with 8:20 to go in the first half. The Nittany Lions answered right back, scoring the next seven to tie things up at 21-21.

After the teams traded baskets, York reeled off a 15-2 run to take a 38-25 lead with just over 90 seconds to go before halftime. Although Apprentice pulled the deficit down to eight at one point, the Nittany Lions hit a three late in the half to take an 11 point lead into intermission.

York came out on fire in the second half, stretching their lead to as many as 23 before the Builders were able to bring it back to a seven point game midway through the second half. Apprentice could get no closer as the lead hovered around seven for the final stretch of the game.

Means finished with a game-high 23 points, while five York players ended in double figures.

GAME TWO – Apprentice 66, PSU Mont Alto 58
Saturday’s game was back-and-forth early until the Builders started to pull away at the 6:08 mark when they started an 8-0 run that extended a two-point game to a 28-18 lead for Apprentice with 3:03 to play before halftime. Mont Alto trimmed the lead back down to four, but the Builders added two baskets late in the period to take a 34-26 lead to the locker room at halftime.

The Nittany Lions cut the lead to three early in the second half, but Apprentice answered with a 10-0 run that spanned 4:36 of the half to take a 13-point lead. Mont Alto cut the lead down to as few as two points with 1:53 left, but Apprentice scored the final six points of the game to earn their first win of the season.

Means again had a game-high 16 points, while Angel Pacheco-Ortiz finished with a double-double of 14 points and 11 boards. Karree Smith also had 14 points, and Tony Epps, Jr. had 11 points, including three three-pointers.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com

Builders Prepare for USCAA Nationals

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Apprentice School men’s basketball team, fresh off its NSAC championship, earned the No. 3 seed in the upcoming USCAA National Championship to be contested in Richmond, Virginia, March 12-16, the national office announced Sunday afternoon.

The Builders will take on sixth-seed MUW Monday, March 13, at 4 p.m. at Richard Bland College. This will be the first meeting between the two schools.

Paul Quinn earned the top seed with Bryant & Stratton (Buffalo) named number 2. Salem was the No. 4 seed and will take on fifth-seeded Bryant & Stratton (Syracuse). Atlantis claimed the seventh seed, while Bluefield State was the last team in at No. 8.

This is the third straight tournament berth for Apprentice.

Tickets for the tournament may be purchased here.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com

Apprentice Claims NSAC Championship With 64-52 Win over VPCC

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School men’s basketball team completed its quest for the New South Athletic Conference crown with a 64-52 win over rival Virginia Peninsula Community College Sunday afternoon.

The Builders led wire-to-wire, pulling out to a 6-0 lead in a low scoring first half. Apprentice led 26-19 at the break before finally putting some distance between themselves and the Gators midway through the second half, allowing for the celebration to begin late in the contest for the conference tournament championship.

Tony Epps, Jr. had a career-high 20 points, hitting 3-of-4 three pointers on the night. CJ Highsmith had a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Adrion Wall also added 12 points.

The Builders’ 20 wins is the most in a season since winning 23 back in the 2001-02 season. That season ended in a national championship, the first for the men’s basketball program at the USCAA level.

With the win, the Builders improve to 20-7 on the season, as they await official word of their next steps for the season. Currently, Apprentice is ranked No. 3 in the latest USCAA National Coaches’ Poll for Division I. As there are no automatic qualifiers in USCAA Division I, there will be eight teams announced as the tournament field on the live bid announcement show March 5.

Story and image courtesy Walker McCrary/gobuilders.com

Top-seed Apprentice Prevails 97-88 over BLC

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Top-seeded Apprentice School rallied late in its New South Athletic Conference tournament semifinal game to defeated 4th seed Blue Lights College 97-88 and advance into Sunday’s title game.

BLC (9-7) played the Builders (19-7) tough for all 40 minutes, holding various leads throughout the game. The Herd protected the paint and dared the Builders to beat them from the perimeter. Apprentice answered with eight three-pointers in the first half, accounting for half of their field goals, and led 48-44 at the halftime break.

Apprentice’s lead fizzled away, thanks to a 7-0 run to start the second half. BLC’s lead grew to as many as seven with 13:49 left but Apprentice fought back to take a 74-73 lead with just under 10 minutes to play. The Herd led 78-76 with eight minutes left, but the NSAC regular-season champion Builders responded with solid defense, holding BLC scoreless for the next three minutes. With 4:15 to go, Apprentice mounted a 93-80 advantage that ended up being too much for the Thoroughbreds to withstand down the stretch.

NSAC MVP Shawn Eley of Apprentice led all scorers with 35 points, recording a double-double paired with 15 rebounds and made 11-of-12 free throws. The Builders made 15 threes altogether and scored 21 points off BLC turnovers.

The Thoroughbreds’ All-NSAC forward Wol Yak poured in 24 points, while Sam Benton Jr. added 22.

Apprentice now faces Virginia Peninsula, a 70-63 winner over Mid-Atlantic Christian in the day’s second semifinal, for the championship Sunday at 4:00 pm.

Story courtesy Craig Green/BLC Media

Builders’ Kee Named NSAC Coach of the Year

Apprentice School head coach Evan Kee has been named the New South Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after guiding the Builders to a perfect 11-0 record in league play.

In his fifth season at the helm, Kee has led Apprentice to an 18-7 regular season mark, the most wins since 2003-04. The Builders are currently ranked 4th in USCAA Division 1, and are number one in field goal percentage, 2nd in rebounding, and 7th in blocks and forced turnovers.

Kee also guided two players onto the NSAC All-Conference Team this season, including NSAC MVP Shawn Eley. His squad has earned the top-seed in the upcoming NSAC Tournament.

Congratulations to Evan Kee, the 2023 New South Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year!

Image courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics

Gators’ Win Finalizes MBB Playoff Picture

Virginia’s Peninsula’s 79-70 win over Mid-Atlantic Christian in the final regular season conference game of the year pushes the Gators into the third seed for next week’s NSAC Basketball Tournament.

Fourth-seed Blue Lights College and Carolina Christian, which tied Christendom for the 5th seed, will open the tournament Tuesday night in Apex, North Carolina in a quarterfinal game. VPCC will host Christendom Thursday night in the other opening round matchup in Newport News, Virginia. The two winners will advance to Saturday’s semifinals at the Apprentice Athletic Center, also in Newport News.

Thanks to Joe Dotson/Christendom Athletics for the bracket graphic

Gators Playing for Third Seed Today vs MACU

Today’s game featuring Mid-Atlantic Christian at Virginia Peninsula will be the 23rd and final New South Conference men’s basketball game of the season, and still there is something to play for besides pride.

The VPCC Gators enter the contest at 2-4 in NSAC play (9-9 overall) and holding down the 4th seed for next week’s conference tournament. A Gator win would propel them into the 3rd seed ahead of Blue Lights College. This would not have an impact on the quarterfinals, which are locked in, but it does impact the semifinal bracket.

If Peninsula gets past MACU and claims the third seed, then the winner of Thursday’s VPCC/Christendom quarterfinal will play #2 MACU, and Tuesday’s BLC/Carolina Christian winner will face top seed Apprentice in next Saturday’s tournament semifinals. If The Gators lose to the Mustangs today, then VPCC and Blue Lights will keep their 3rd and 2nd seeds, respectively.

Still confused? Check back after today’s game.

Today’s game tips at 2pm at Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia.

Apprentice Wraps Up Undefeated NSAC Schedule

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – With a 72-56 win over Mid-Atlantic Christian Wednesday night, the Apprentice School men’s basketball team wrapped up their New South Athletic Conference schedule a perfect 11-0.

The Builders led wire-to-wire in the contest between the two top teams in the league, despite hitting just three three-pointers on the night. Apprentice led 35-26 at the break and held off each and every push the Mustangs had in the second half to extend the lead out to its final 16 point margin.

Wednesday had one of the more balanced scoring attacks the Builders have had all year with 10 different players contributing no more than 12 points on the night. Karree Smith led Apprentice with 12, followed by Avin Hawkins and CJ Highsmith with 10 each. The Builders were also +12 in the rebound column. Apprentice won the points in the paint battle, 48-20.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com