Category: News

Tickets for NSAC Tournament On Sale Now

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School is hosting the New South Athletic Conference basketball tournament this upcoming weekend, and tickets are now on sale for the event.

Tickets for each day will be $7 each and can be purchased at GoBuilders.com/ticketing. As this is the conference tournament, all spectators will be required to pay as no pass lists are being allowed for the event.

The Apprentice women’s basketball team will open the tournament Saturday at 2 p.m. against Christendom. Prior to the contest, the program will have its Senior Day festivities. The Builders men’s team will play host to Blue Lights in the 4 p.m. semifinal Saturday afternoon. At 6 p.m., the Mid-Atlantic Christian University men will face the Virginia Peninsula/Christendom winner.

The semifinal round of action will be carried live on the BuilderStream YouTube page, while the championship games on Sunday will be carried by BigSportsTV.

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

Eley Tops Voting, Leads All-Conference Team

Apprentice senior swingman Shawn Eley has been voted the Most Valuable Player on the 2023 All-NSAC Men’s Basketball Team.

Eley elevated his game when it came to NSAC opponents. He averaged 15 points per game overall and 7.4 rebounds, but in New South contests he turned it up, averaging 17.4 ppg and 9 boards. He also averaged 53.4% from the field.

Congratulations to Shawn and to each member of the 2023 NSAC All-Conference team!

All-NSAC First Team:

  • Shawn Eley, senior, the Apprentice School (MVP)
  • Wol Yak, freshman, Blue Lights College
  • Talik Totten, senior, Mid-Atlantic Christian University
  • Javion Majette, sophomore, Virginia Peninsula Community College
  • John Paul Vander Woude, junior, Christendom College

All-NSAC Second Team:

  • Karree Smith, sophomore, The Apprentice School
  • Sam Benton, Jr., freshman, Blue Lights College
  • Keyshawn Bryant, freshman, Blue Lights College
  • Robert Murdock, sophomore, Carolina Christian College
  • Noah Richardson-Keys, freshman, Mid-Atlantic Christian University
  • Keshaun Johnson, freshman, Virginia Peninsula Community College

Honorable Mention:

  • Adrion Wall, sophomore, The Apprentice School
  • Jayden Eason, sophomore, The Apprentice School
  • Daishaun George, junior, Carolina Christian College
  • Andrew Heisler, junior, Christendom College
  • John Kennedy, sophomore, Christendom College
  • Bobby Vander Woude, freshman, Christendom College
  • Jeremiah Dickerson, sophomore, Mid-Atlantic Christian University
  • Jhalen Harris, sophomore, Virginia Peninsula Community College
  • Quishaun Brevard, sophomore, Virginia Peninsula Community College

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.

2023 All-Academic Team

The New South Athletic Conference is proud to honor the following student-athletes for their outstanding efforts on the court and in the classroom:

2023 NSAC MBB ALL-ACADEMIC (3.0 GPA minimum)
Jhalen Harris Virginia Peninsula Community College
Mekhi Reid Virginia Peninsula Community College

Jayden Eason The Apprentice School
Shawn Eley The Apprentice School
Clifton Goode The Apprentice School
Caleb Mielewski The Apprentice School
Climente’ Riddick The Apprentice School

Daishaun George Carolina Christian College
Khariq Grogins Carolina Christian College

David Echaniz Christendom College
Peter Ethridge Christendom College
Josh Pabst Christendom College
Dominic Smith Christendom College

Joe Dotson Christendom College
Bobby Vander Woude Christendom College
Michael Townsend Christendom College
Joe Curran Christendom College
Joe Castellan Christendom College
Andrew Heisler Christendom College
John Kennedy Christendom College
John Paul Vander Woude Christendom College
Michael Evich Christendom College

Junayd Hill Blue Lights College

Jajour Lambert Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Geoffrey Wellons Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Lance Maurer Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Marqueze Bone Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Jeremiah Dickerson Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Micah Colburn Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Jalen Jones Mid-Atlantic Christian University
DreShaun Brown Mid-Atlantic Christian University

Tournament Implications Loom Large Tuesday Night

Tuesday’s Blue Lights home game against Virginia Peninsula Community College will play a major factor in determining first round matchups in the 2023 New South Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament.

After this weekend’s results, here are how things stand (NSAC W-L):

Apprentice 9-0*
Mid-Atlantic Christian 5-1*
Virginia Peninsula 2-3
Blue Lights 1-3
Christendom 0-3
Carolina Christian 0-6

*Clinched first round bye

Remaining NSAC games:
Apprentice: 2 (vs Christendom, vs MACU)
MACU: 3 (vs. CCC, at Apprentice, at VPCC)
VPCC: 2 (at BLC, vs MACU)
BLC: 1 (vs VPCC)
Christendom: 1 (at Apprentice)
Carolina Christian: 1 (at MACU)

Both Apprentice and MACU have clinched a bye into the semifinals.

A BLC win against Virginia Peninsula on Tuesday will lock up an opening round game for the Herd at Hope Community Church Arena, taking place during the week of February 21st. If the Gators win, it will clinch a home game for themselves as well as a guaranteed third place finish.

A Thoroughbreds loss – combined with a Christendom win at Apprentice – would secure the Crusaders a home playoff game, forcing BLC to play on the road.

The Thoroughbreds-Gators game tips off at 6:30pm EST, airing LIVE on the Thoroughbreds Sports Network on YouTube. Christendom-Apprentice tips off 30 minutes later at 7pm EST, also on YouTube.

The NSAC Basketball Tournament final four will be held February 25 and 26 in Newport News, Virginia.

Story and image courtesy Craig Green/BLC Media

Benton Named POTW

Blue Lights College point guard Sam Benton, Jr. averaged 19 points and had a 5.0 assist-to-turnover ratio last week to lead the Thoroughbreds to two wins. For his efforts, Sam is being recognized as the NSAC Player of the Week.

The floor general scored 23 points and and delivered 8 assists while committing only 1 turnover in a 106-101 win over Virginia-Lynchburg on Tuesday. The following night, Benton scored 15 points, hauled in 3 rebounds, and dished 2 assists to lead BLC to a 55-43 win over the North Carolina JVs in Chapel Hill. The freshman from Rocky Mount, NC led the Herd to 18 fast break points and 50% shooting from the field in the second half as the Thoroughbreds outscored the Tar Heels 30-20.

Congratulations to Sam Benton, Jr., our New South men’s basketball Player of the Week!

Builders’ Eley Named POTW

Senior swingman Shawn Eley has been named Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for his outstanding work in three games for Apprentice last week.

At Virginia Wesleyan, Eley scored nine points and hauled in 12 rebounds, but he was just getting started. At the NSAC game against Blue Lights College, the Outside Machinist worked inside and out for 21 points and 10 boards. The Elizabeth City, North Carolina native then turned it up against his hometown rival, pouring in 24 points, grabbing eight rebounds and nicking five steals against Elizabeth City State.

Congratulations to Apprentice senior Shawn Eley, our New South MBB Player of the Week!

Totten’s Big Weekend Propels Him to POTW

Mid-Atlantic Christian senior guard Talik Totten has been named at the New South Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

Totten helped Mid-Atlantic Christian win on Saturday against Christendom, providing 22 points with 12 of those points coming from the 3-point line. In the Mustangs’ game against Greensboro, Totten gave his team 31 points off of 12-17 from the floor and 6-9 from the 3-point line. Totten was named to the Roger Taylor All-Classic Team for his play in the three-day tournament.

Congratulations, Talik!