Category: Apprentice

First Conference Tilt of Season Tips Tonight

Apprentice School and Blue Lights College are wasting no time jumping into the conference schedule as they will start their seasons with the New South Conference Tip-Off Classic tonight in Virginia Beach.

The Builders are coming off a 14-15 campaign that saw them advance to the Eastern Metro Athletic Conference finals and the USCAA tournament. Apprentice is picked to finish second in the NSAC under the leadership of veteran coach Evan Kee.

The Thoroughbreds finished 18-12 in ’21-22 but sport a fresh new lineup and are led by first year coach Nolan Adams. BLC is tabbed to finish fifth.

The two teams met in January last season with Apprentice taking a 91-80 win.

Game time is 6:00 pm and can be viewed here.

Gators Picked to Repeat in Men’s Basketball

Virginia Peninsula has been tabbed to repeat as NSAC men’s basketball champs this season in a vote by the league’s coaches, with Apprentice and Mid-Atlantic hot on their heels.

VPCC, formerly Thomas Nelson Community College, swept through the conference undefeated last year and finished 18-1 overall, their only loss to 10th-ranked Sandhills.

Both the Gators and the Builders collected three first-place votes, showing how much respect they have among their fellow coaches.

2022-23 NSAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Rankings

  1. Virginia Peninsula – 23 (3)
  2. Apprentice – 20 (3)
  3. MACU – 18
  4. Carolina Christian – 12
  5. Blue Lights – 10
  6. Central International – 7

Here are some of the comments from the league’s coaches entering the season:

  • “The competition will be tough, but we are preparing our guys for it. We have a great chance to compete for a title because our guys work hard and have great chemistry on and off the court.“
  • “Apprentice School comes with the most experienced team in the league and are extremely deep this year in every position. Coach Kee has grown that program into one that will be tough for the next few years.”
  • “We look forward to the conference schedule against a competitive group of opponents. Every team in the league has talent and is capable of winning the league. Should be a fun year.“
  • “MACU had a strong recruiting class to add to their returnees as well with some good size and length. Coach Sims has hit the ground running in his first year at the helm.”
  • “Blue Lights is a wild card with a new coach and brand new team this year, but they could be able to shake the conference up.”