VIRGINIA BEACH - After falling 74-70 to then fifth-ranked
Virginia Wesleyan to start the season on November 16, the
Apprentice School was determined to make the most of a second
opportunity against the nationally-ranked Marlins on
Saturday. With an impressive second half shooting the
basketball, and holding off a late flurry, consider the mission
accomplished.
Junior Eric Ruffin scored 19 points to lead four in double figures
as the Apprentice School shot 61.5% (32-of-52) from the floor for
the game and 72.7% (16-of-22) in the second half in holding off the
ninth-ranked Blue Marlins 76-75 at the Batten Center.
The win marks the highest-ranked team the Builders have defeated
since a 58-57 win over 14th-ranked St. John Fisher on
January 3, 2004. Saturday's victory also snapped a 31-game
home court winning streak for the Marlins dating back to November
30, 2005. Ironically enough the streak started with a 98-51
victory over the Builders in December of 2005.
Apprentice School (6-4) held the lead for the majority of the first
half but the Marlins never let things get out of hand. The
Builders held a five-point lead on four occasions in the first
half, the last on a Ruffin jumper with six seconds left to take a
37-32 lead into the locker room.
In the second half the Builders advantage grew to as much as 12
points on two occasions, with the last being on a Jason Arrington
jumper with 7:34 left for a 68-56 lead. Virginia Wesleyan,
who won the 2006 NCAA Division III national title and was national
runner-up last season, had one last run in them. The Marlins
went on a 12-2 run over the next 4:12 to cut the lead to 72-68 on a
3-pointer from Norman Hassell. In that run the Marlins closed
it with consecutive 3-pointers from Ton Ton Balenga and Hassell in
a span of 34 seconds sandwiching a Builder turnover.
Unlike the game in November when the Builders lost a 12-point lead
with five minutes left, the Builders held firm and used four points
from Antoine Paige to seal the victory. Paige hit a pair of
free throws with 1:41 left, then stole an inbounds pass and hit a
layup with four seconds left for a 76-72 lead. VWC's D'Juan
Tucker hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the 76-75 final.
Arrington was next in scoring for the Builders with 15 points,
while Eric Joe added 14 and Paige scored 11. Balenga topped
the Marlins with 28 points, including six 3-pointers.
The Builders will now travel to Lexington on Monday for an
encounter with Division I Virginia Military Institute. The
Keydets were tops in NCAA in scoring last year and are averaging 97
points per game this season.
APPRENTICE SCHOOL 76, #9-VIRGINIA WESLEYAN 75
APPRENTICE SCHOOL (6-4): Spratley 2-3 4-6 8, Ruffin 9-19 0-1 19,
Paige 4-7 2-2 11, Arrington 7-11 0-3 15, Washington 0-1 0-0 0,
Smith 2-2 2-4 6, Cherry 0-0 0-0 0, Thompson 0-0 0-0 0, Joe 7-8 0-0
14, Johnson 1-1 1-4 3. Totals 32-52 9-20 76.
VIRGINIA WESLEYAN (4-2): Tucker 2-8 1-3 6, Dixon 2-7 1-2 5,
Balenga 7-12 8-8 28, Fantin 0-4 4-6 4, Hassell 5-8 1-2 13, Green
0-0 2-2 2, Carlton 2-2 2-5 6, Fields 3-13 2-4 9, Simmons 1-1 0-0
2. Totals 22-55 21-32 75.
Halftime: Apprentice 37-32. 3-point goals: Apprentice 3-11
(Ruffin 1-4, Paige 1-4, Arrington 1-3); VWC 10-26 (Tucker 1-6,
Dixon 0-1, Balenga 6-8, Fantin 0-3, Hassell 2-4, Fields 1-4).
Rebounds: Apprentice 35 (Spratley, Ruffin 7); VWC 28 (Balenga
7). Total fouls: Apprentice 22, VWC 19. Assists:
Apprentice 5 (Paige 3); VWC 10 (Fields 3
