NEWPORT NEWS, VA. - Two Montino Williams free throws with 50
seconds left proved to be the final points in the game as Chowan
University held off a late Apprentice School rally for a 70-69
victory on Thursday night.
The visiting Hawks soared out to a 10-2 lead with 16:38 left in
the opening half on a Charles Rhodes 3-pointer. Apprentice
School answered with consecutive 3-pointers from Eric Ruffin and
Nolan Thompson cutting that deficit to 10-8 with 14:19 left.
Chowan held the lead until a Warren Cherry 3-pointer gave the
Builders a 21-19 advantage at the 7:50 mark. The lead went
back-and-forth four times over the next four minutes with Chowan
taking the final lead of the half on a Jaleel Nelson fast break
layup for a 30-28 advantage with 2:50 left.
In the second half, the Apprentice School trailed three times by
double figures with the last following a Lando Morrison dunk for a
61-50 Chowan lead with 6:29 remaining. Apprentice School
started on a 17-5 run that gave them a 67-66 lead on a Fred
Spratley layup with 97 seconds left. Each team hit a bucket
to trade the lead again before Williams' hit his two free throws
for the win.
Ruffin topped the Builders in scoring with a season-best 25
points. He also had a season-high 10 assists which tied the
school record for single-game assists held by current assistant
coach Cliff Coleman set in 1996. Spratley and Antione Paige
added 10 points each for the Builders.
Apprentice School returns to action on Saturday at 4 pm with a
rematch at home against Lincoln University. The Lions
defeated the Builders 87-84 in overtime last Saturday in
Pennsylvania.
CHOWAN 70, APPRENTICE SCHOOL 69
CHOWAN (10-12): Kenon 6-14 1-3 14, Tutelea 3-10
1-2 7, Rhodes 2-8 0-0 6, Nelson 4-7 3-3 11, Mansour 4-10 1-2 9,
Scott 2-4 0-0 5, Ramsay 1-4 1-2 3, Williams 3-6 2-2 8, Morrison 2-5
3-4 7. Totals 27-68 12-18 70.
APPRENTICE SCHOOL (13-11): Smith 4-9 0-2 8,
Ruffin 10-13 3-3 25, Paige 4-12 1-2 10, Archer 0-2 0-0 0, Joe 4-8
0-0 8, Cherry 1-2 0-0 3, Spratley 5-8 0-0 10, Davis 0-0 0-0 0,
Thompson 1-3 0-0 3, Washington 0-0 0-0 0, Johnson 1-2 0-0 2.
Totals 30-59 4-7 69.
Halftime: Chowan 37-32. 3-point goals: Chowan 4-18 (Kenon
1-4, Rhodes 2-6, Nelson 0-2, Scott 1-3, Williams 0-3); Apprentice
5-10 (Ruffin 2-3, Paige 1-3, Archer 0-1, Cherry 1-1, Spratley 0-1,
Thompson 1-1). Rebounds: Chowan 43 (Tutelea 11); Apprentice
31 (Smith 6). Total fouls: Chowan 8, Apprentice 18.
Assists: Chowan 15 (Kenon 7); Apprentice 21 (Ruffin 10).
Att.: 219.
