Category: News

Bruin Rally Spoils Hot Mustang Start 89-80

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Mid-Atlantic Christian raced out to a 20-0 lead but failed to hold off Carolina University’s comeback in falling 89-80 Saturday.

The Mustangs (3-11 overall, 2-0 NSAC), looking to turn around their fortunes in what had been a disappointing start to their season, looked like world beaters in the opening five minutes of the contest. But the Bruins (4-12) began to claw back into the game and trimmed the margin to nine, 43-34, at the half. The second frame belonged to CU, who shot 64.7% after intermission to pull away for the win. Carolina made good use of its reserves, holding a 29-4 advantage in points off the bench.

Noah Richardson-Keys led the Herd with 22 points. Talik Totten and Josh Tyler added 16 points each, and Carlos Raven contributed 13. Carolina’s Adam Claybourne led all scorers with 26.

Apprentice 3-Point Barrage Sinks CIC

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Apprentice hit a program record 18 three pointers as the Builders raced past Central International Saturday 118-70 in the MLK Classic.

The Builders (12-3 overall, 2-0 NSAC) opened the game on a 12-0 run and led 22-5 just seven minutes into the contest before CIC (7-7, 0-3) finally got rolling, cutting the lead down to as few as eight. Apprentice, ranked number 1 in the USCAA, responded with three-pointer after three-pointer to pull away and stay unbeaten in New South Athletic Conference action.

Adrion Wall had a game-high 28 points, hitting five threes on the day. Karree Smith and Donovan Means each had 15 points, while Xavien Hunter added 13 and Avin Hawkins put up 10.

The 118 points scored is the second most all-time only behind a 2009 performance against Ohio State-Marion on February 27, 2009.

In the other MLK Classic game on the men’s side Saturday, Camp defeated UIC 87-77.

The Builders will take on UIC tomorrow at 2 p.m. to wrap up the MLK Classic.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/gobuilders.com. Photo by Mike Davis.

Lighthouse Upsets #9 UIC 77-67

Miami – Sophomore point guard Eddie Brown scored 30 points, including four three-pointers in the second half, to propel Lighthouse to a 77-67 win over USCAA ninth-ranked UIC Monday afternoon.

The Makos (10-4 overall, 0-1 NSAC) held a 40-37 lead at the break but pulled away behind Brown’s 18 second-half points. Brown was also 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Sophomore swingman Houston Culpepper added 12 points, and his brother, junior guard Chayse Culpepper, contributed 11.

Sophomore guard Santiago Insaurralde led the Eagle Rays (6-5) with 16 points.

Photo by Max Winkler on Unsplash

Wall Honored as NSAC Player of the Week

Top-ranked Apprentice opened NSAC conference play on Saturday with a hard-fought win over Blue Lights and cruised to a non-conference victory over Gallaudet on Sunday. The Builders were led by Adrion Wall, who averaged 18 points and six rebounds in the two games and has been named the Player of the Week.

Wall, a 6-3 junior guard from Norfolk, scored 15 points and grabbed five boards as the Builders picked up their first NSAC win of the year. On Sunday, Wall led all scorers with 21 while hauling in seven boards, two assists, and two steals.

Honorable Mention: Eddie Brown, Lighthouse Christian College

Congratulations to Adrion Wall, the NSAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week!

Image courtesy gobuilders.com

Top-ranked Apprentice Holds Off BLC 94-89

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Despite trailing for a majority of the game, the No. 1-ranked Apprentice School men’s basketball team battled to claim a 94-89 win over Blue Lights College in the New South Athletic Conference opener for both teams Saturday afternoon.

The Thoroughbreds withstood an early 8-0 push by the Builders, responding with an 8-0 run of their own to keep the game going back-and-forth early on. With the score in favor of the Builders at 24-18 midway through the first half, Blue Lights answered with a 19-4 run to take a 37-28 lead late in the period. BLC led the game at the half, 45-41, and held on to the advantage much of the second half.

In its first game under interim coach Denzel Johnson, Blue Lights (7-4 overall, 0-1 NSAC) led 72-66 at the midway point of the second half before the Builders rattled off seven straight points over a 1:53 span to retake the lead for the first time since halfway through the first period at 73-72. The game teetered back and forth before Apprentice (10-3, 1-0) reeled off a 7-0 spurt with 2:30 to play to take a 92-87 lead, a lead that would hold to give the Builders their first conference win of the season.

Sam Benton, Jr. led five Thoroughbreds in double-figure scoring with 23. Donovan Means finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds for Apprentice, 15 of those points coming in the second half. Five other Builders finished in double figures.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com

Adams Steps Down at BLC

APEX, N.C. – Citing personal reasons, Nolan Adams has tendered his resignation as men’s basketball head coach at Blue Lights College.

Hired in August 2022, Adams hit the ground running in filling out a depleted Thoroughbreds roster and making the team instantly competitive. In his first season, he guided BLC to a 7-5 record and a fourth-place finish in the NSAC, advancing to the conference tournament semifinals before falling to eventual champion Apprentice 97-88. Three members of Adams’ team were placed on the all-conference squad, led by first-team selection Wol Yak.

This season, Blue Lights is off to a 7-3 start including back-to-back wins over NAIA Morris College.

Adams came to Blue Lights from York College in New York City, where he was head coach for seven seasons. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the Borough of Manhattan Community College and the Polytechnic Institute of New York University.

“I’m forever grateful for all Nolan Adams invested into our program,” said BLC president Jacques Gilbert. “We grew as a result of his leadership. He will be missed. While this change in the middle of the season creates some challenges, we will see this as another opportunity to demonstrate our faith. The mission of Blue Lights College remains a priority. Our student athletes are committed to finishing the season strong.”

Gilbert named Denzel Johnson as interim coach. The Thoroughbreds open their NSAC schedule Saturday at Apprentice.

Atlantis’ Goodman is Player of the Week

Guard Gravon Goodman led Atlantis to a 1-1 split at Bucks County Community College and has been named the NSAC men’s basketball Player of the Week.

The sophomore transfer from Copiah Lincoln Community College averaged 28 pts and 6.5 assists against the defending Eastern State Athletic Conference champs.

Honorable Mention:

  • Karree Smith – Apprentice
  • Kalil Baker – Blue Lights
  • Darquez Flowers – Blue Lights

Congratulations to Gravon Goodman and all the nominees!

Benton Named Player of the Week

In Blue Lights’ lone game last week, Sam Benton, Jr. paced the Thoroughbreds with 21 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 7 steals and has been named New South Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. The 5’10” point guard filled the stat sheet while driving both the offense and the defense.

Congratulations to sophomore Sam Benton, the NSAC Player of the Week!

Image courtesy Craig Green/BLC Media

Great Ships Classic to Feature Two NSAC Contests

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School Department of Athletics is set to host the Great Ships Classic basketball tournament this weekend at the Apprentice School Athletics Center.

Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, six different institutions will come to Newport News to take part in the tournament. On the women’s side, Cheyney, Clinton, and Washington Adventist will participate, while the men’s side will include Central International, Central Penn, and Mid-Atlantic Christian.

Saturday at 4:00 pm, the CIC and MACU men’s teams will tangle in an NSAC rematch. The Mustangs (1-7 overall, 1-0 NSAC) nipped the Cardinals 101-77 on November 8 in Elizabeth City. On Sunday, second-ranked Apprentice (6-3) will face Central (5-4, 0-1) at 6:00 pm. It will be the Builders’ first conference game of the year.

Games each day will start at 12 p.m. with four games happening per day. The Builder basketball teams will play the first two games of the day Saturday and the last two on Sunday.

Story and Image courtesy gobuilders.com

Builders Race Past Royals 99-54

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The transition game was the key for the Apprentice School men’s basketball team to get back on the winning track over Regent Wednesday night 99-54.

After the Royals opened the game with the first basket of the night, the Builders went on a 17-4 run to secure the lead and never let the game get closer than seven. Apprentice led the game by 14 at halftime and by as many as the final 45-point margin.

Donovan Means led all scorers with a career-high 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the floor. Adrion Wall put up 17, while Kurij Harrell and Avin Hawkins added 14 and 12 off the bench, respectively.

The Builders outscored Regent in fast break points, 32-2, while also getting 37 points off turnovers. Regent had just five points off Builder turnovers.

Apprentice will now turn their attention to the Great Ships Classic this weekend when they play host to the two-day tournament. The Builders will open the tournament against Central Penn at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Story and image courtesy gobuilders.com