Category: MACU

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

S4C Knocks Off MACU for Third Straight NSAC Win

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. – Tyrek Dawson poured in 19 points to lead a balanced South Carolina Central Christian floor attack to a 93-75 victory over Mid-Atlantic Christian Friday night.

The Gladiators went on a 30-11 run over the final 11:31 to close out the win.

Davarious Johnson and Nazir Sample each added 18 and Dewayne Halliburton added 17 off the bench.

It was the third New South Athletic Conference win in a row for SC Central (4-11 overall, 3-3 NSAC) after the Gladiators dropped their first three of the season.

The Mustangs (7-12, 3-2) were led by Stewart Clough and Keondre Rodgers with 15 apiece. It was MACU’s second conference loss in a row after starting the season with three wins.

Graphic courtesy MACU 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

MACU Sees Lead Slip Away at SC State 56-50

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Mid-Atlantic Christian let a second-half lead slip away Wednesday night, falling 56-50 to NCAA Division 1 foe South Carolina State.

The Mustangs (6-10 overall, 2-0 NSAC) led the majority of the game and carried a 34-27 advantage into halftime but managed just 16 points after the break as the Bulldogs tightened defensively and controlled the tempo down the stretch.

Janus Shepherd led MACU with 21 points, hitting 8 of 18 shots from the floor and knocking down four 3-pointers. Terrance Williams added nine points, while Elijah Dias chipped in six for the Mustangs.

South Carolina State (4-16) was paced by Obie Bronston Jr. with 18 points, while Chris Parker and Florian Tenebay combined for 25 points and 13 rebounds.

Mid-Atlantic Christian struggled at the foul line and committed key turnovers late as South Carolina State closed the game with timely free throws. The Bulldogs outscored the Mustangs 29-16 in the second half to seal the comeback.

Graphic courtesy MACU Athletics

Mustangs Stampede Sabers 95-72

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Janus Shepherd scored 19 points and Mid-Atlantic Christian used a dominant first half to pull away for a 95-72 win over Barber-Scotia in an NSAC men’s college basketball game Monday evening.

MACU (6-9 overall, 2-0 NSAC) jumped out to a 51-27 halftime lead and never looked back, outscoring the Sabers in points in the paint and on second-chance opportunities. Shepherd went 8 of 19 from the field and added three rebounds, while Stew Clough finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Terrence Williams also added 12 points, Nikko Trafton had 11 and Elijah Dias contributed 10, helping MACU overwhelm Barber-Scotia with balanced scoring.

“The guys came out focused on defending home court,” said Mustangs coach Charles Sims. “They saw what Barber-Scotia just did at Apprentice, and they were determined not to let that happen here.”

Barber-Scotia (6-6, 2-2) was led by Londen Roseman, who scored 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Nicholas Gravely added 14 points and four rebounds, and Channing Beadles chipped in 14 off the bench. The Sabers shot 42.2% from the field but struggled defensively in the opening half.

MACU finished at 45.9% shooting and held a 53-36 rebounding advantage.

Mustangs Roll Past WWC 89-66

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Mid-Atlantic Christian University used a dominant first half to pull away from Warren Wilson College and cruised to an 89–66 non-conference victory Wednesday night.

The Mustangs outscored the Owls 49–43 after halftime and shot 55.3% from the field in the second half to turn a manageable halftime lead into a comfortable win. MACU (5-9 overall, 1-0 NSAC) finished the game shooting 48.1% overall and held Warren Wilson to 41.7%.

“This was great victory for the team,” said Mustangs head coach Charles Sims. “We played a tough first half of the season against NCAA DI, DII and DIII opponents that prepared us for games like today.”

Janus Shepherd led the Mustangs with 20 points, hitting three 3-pointers and adding five rebounds. Stewart Clough added 13 points and five rebounds, while Tyus Williams chipped in 10 points and six boards.

“The team’s mindset from the start was to defend our home court, and they did exactly that,” Sims added. “Janus Shepherd’s contribution for the team was tremendous along with Stew Clough and Tyus Williams. This was an all-out team effort, and now we must continue to take a one-game-at-a-time approach to reach the vision that the team has for completing this season.”

Warren Wilson was led by Kharye Bland, who scored 15 points, and Tyah Williams, who added 13, but the Owls struggled from long range, making just 4 of 24 attempts from beyond the arc.

MACU forced 22 turnovers and turned them into 25 points, helping the Mustangs build a lead that grew to as many as 29 points in the second half.

Image courtesy Carl Lewis

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

Mustangs Dispose of Wolves 83-68

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Mid-Atlantic Christian University dominated Cheyney University 83–68 on Wednesday night, using a balanced scoring effort and a dominant first half to secure the nonconference win.

MACU (3-4) built a 44–30 halftime lead behind efficient shooting, then held off the Wolves despite a stronger second-half push from Cheyney. Andre Bowles led the Mustangs with 16 points while Janus Shepherd, Stewart Clough and Tyus Williams each added 12. MACU shot 52.5% from the field and finished 17 of 26 from the free-throw line.

“Our guys needed the Thanksgiving break,” said Mustangs coach Charles Sims. “We came back ready to play for each other.”

Cheyney was paced by Gabriel Altemus, who scored 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting including 4-of-7 from three. The Wolves shot just 31.5% from the field and were 8 of 30 from beyond the arc.

MACU held a 48-40 rebounding advantage and led by as many as 23 points. Cheyney closed the gap to 14 in the second half but never threatened the lead.

The Mustangs return to action Friday night facing NC Wesleyan in the Bishops’ Roger Taylor Invitational at Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Apprentice also participates in the event Friday facing Greensboro College before switching opponents on Saturday.

Image courtesy MACU Athletics