NEWPORT NEWS, VA. - The Apprentice School outscored Voorhees
College 8-0 in the last 2:57 to score a 74-72 victory over NAIA
power Voorhees College in the first night of the Great Ships
Classic.
In the opening game, Southern Virginia University defeated
Williamson Trade School 71-68 behind 23 points from Bryce
Pendleton.
Apprentice School (15-12) trailed for 39 minutes in the contest,
but never by double figures. The Builders, who now have
alternated wins and losses in every game since December 19, trailed
72-65 with 2:57 left on a pair of Corey Mikel free throws before
starting their rally.
Eric Ruffin drained a pair of free throws cutting the deficit to
72-67 with 2:19 left. Fred Spratley hit one of two from the
foul line with 1:10 remaining to cut the deficit to four.
Following a missed layup from Voorhees Everett Pace, Spratley's put
back of his own missed shot turned into a three-point play cutting
the deficit to 72-71 with 49 seconds left.
Voorhees' Corey Mikel had the ball stolen by Ruffin with 37
seconds left and the Builders called a time out to set up a
potential go-ahead shot. Ruffin's runner in the lane bounced
into the hands of Eric Joe who tipped it in with 16 seconds left
for the Builders' first lead of the night at 73-72. The
Tigers, who were receiving votes in the NAIA Division I poll, had a
chance but Mikel's drive in the lane bounced out of bounds off a
teammate with five seconds remaining. Spratley was fouled on
the ensuing inbounds pass and hit one of two with three seconds
left for the victory. A last second shot by the Tigers was
long.
Ruffin and Jason Arrington were the leading scorers for the
Builders with 15 points, while Antione Paige and Jason Smith had 13
apiece. Spratley was the leading rebounder in the game with
10 for the Builders. Mikel was the leading scorer in the game
for Voorhees (18-9) with 21 points.
Next up for the Builders will be Senior Day and the final day of
the Great Ships Classic with a matchup against Williamson Trade
School (19-8) at 4 pm. Voorhees will face Southern Virginia
at 2 pm.
APPRENTICE SCHOOL 74, VOORHEES COLLEGE 72
VOORHEES COLLEGE (18-9): Mikel 7-15 4-4 21, Williams 2-5 0-0 5,
Pace 2-4 1-2 6, Clarke 1-3 0-0 2, Bolton 6-14 6-9 19, Crumbley 0-1
0-0 0, King 1-2 1-1 3, Harris 0-0 0-0 0, Dickerson 1-6 0-0 3,
Allston 0-0 0-0 0, Woodbury 3-4 2-4 8, Tutler 2-5 1-1 5, Shinnary
0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-59 15-21 72.
APPRENTICE SCHOOL (15-12): Smith 5-14 3-5 13, Cherry 0-0 0-1 0,
Ruffin 4-9 5-6 15, Thompson 0-4 0-0 0, Joe 3-4 0-0 6, Spratley 2-7
3-5 7, Paige 5-11 1-2 13, Arrington 3-10 8-11 15, Washington 0-3
0-0 0, Johnson 2-5 1-4 5. Totals 24-67 21-34 74.
Halftime: Voorhees 34-28. 3-point goals: Voorhees 7-18
(Mikel 3-7, Williams 1-2, Pace 1-2, Bolton 1-5, Dickerson 1-2);
Apprentice 5-12 (Ruffin 2-3, Thompson 0-2, Paige 2-3, Arrington
1-4). Rebounds: Apprentice 45 (Spratley 10); Voorhees 43
(Woodbury 9). Total fouls: Voorhees 22, Apprentice 17.
Assists: Voorhees 13 (Woodbury, Williams 3); Apprentice 16 (Ruffin
8). Att.: 273.
