Box Score Rock Hill, SC – The Apprentice Women's Basketball team looked to put last night's loss behind them as they traveled to South Carolina to face #3 Clinton College. It would be another EMAC road game, and they were still looking for their first win of the season. In order to come away with the victory, the Builders knew they would have to be consistent on the offensive end and convert their baskets.
Apprentice got the opening tip to start the first quarter, but Alena Puaauli-Pelham was unable to convert a 3-point attempt and Clinton took the rebound and drove in for a layup at the other end, for the early lead. Pelham made up for the miss by stealing the ball which set up a Kerrigan Smalls basket to tie the game at 2-2. After forcing a turnover, Ashawnti Williams grabbed a Brittney Jones miss and put it back up, giving the Builders their first lead of the game, 4-2. After giving the lead back to the Bears, Jamica Jones drove the ball to the basket and was fouled tying the game at 6-6. However, she was unable to convert the 3-point play. Jones would do it again, though, this time hitting a short jumper to give Apprentice the lead again, 8-6. After a defensive stop, Nyla Jackson pulled up at the 3-point and drained it, giving the Builders their largest lead of the game, 11-6. Clinton would make a comeback and with 3:30 remaining in the quarter, took the lead back, 12-11. Apprentice would settle down and Nyka Jackson put them back out in front after taking the ball on a fastbreak and hitting the layup. Alena Puaauli-Pelham followed that up with a long 3-pointer putting the Builders back up by 4 points, which forced the Bears to call a timeout. As the quarter came to an end, Apprentice found themselves leading Clinton by a score of 18-16.
The Bears came out in the second quarter and quickly took a 1-point lead after hitting a 3-pointer. They eventually would go up by three points, but Kerrigan Smalls continued to have the hot hand, draining her first 3-pointer of the season to tie the game at 21-21. Ashawnti Williams then grabbed her own miss and put it back up to give the Builders the lead again by 2-points. However, the lead didn't last long as Clinton came back down and converted a 3-pointer to go ahead, 24-23, but Ashwanti Williams took an inbound pass under the basket, was fouled, and converted the 3-point play to grab the lead once again. Unfortunately, the Bears would go on a small run, but that didn't stop Apprentice from playing their game and with 3:51 left in the half, Alena Puaauli-Pelham helped put them back in front after hitting another 3-pointer. However, as the teams headed to the locker room, Clinton would regain the lead at the half, 40-37.
The third quarter saw the Bears jump out to a 6-point lead, but baskets by Jordan Wilson and Ashawnsti Williams would cut it to 2-points, 45-43. After trading baskets, the Bears took their largest lead of the game at 8-points and that quickly ballooned to 11-points, after Clinton drained an open 3-pointer from the wing. The Builders were able to cut it back to 6-points, but the final minute of the quarter saw the Bears go on a 5-0 run to go back up by 12-points, 64-52.
The fourth and final quarter began with both teams failing to score in the first few minutes. At the 7:30 mark of the quarter, the Bears ended the scoring drought when they hit a 3-pointer to increase the lead to 15-points, 67-52. Alena Puaauli-Pelham found Ashawnti Williams down low to end Apprentice's scoring drought and cut the lead to 67-54. Williams would score again for her 21st point of the game to try to keep them in striking distance, and then a basket by Jordan Wilson cut the lead to 11-ppoints. After a defensive stop, Kerrigan Smalls cut the deficit to single digits, 69-60. With 2:38 left in the game, Alena Puaauli-Pelham converted a basket, pulling the Builders to within 5 points, forcing Clinton to call a timeout. Apprentice was not giving up and with 1:05 remaining, Britney Jones found her way to basket and pulled her team tom within 3 points, 72-69. After a Bears free throw, Kerrigan Smalls quickly came down the court and hit a 3-pointer, with 11 seconds on the clock. The Builders had a chance to win the game, but a half-court shot came up short and, after their best performance of the season, they would fall to #3 Clinton by a final score of 76-74.
Ashawnti Williams led Apprentice with the double-double, having her best performance of the season. Her performance keeps her atop the rebound leaders in the USCAA. The Builders will head back home and prepare for a home game Monday night as they face Trinity out of Washington, DC. The two teams opened the season against each other, with Apprentice falling by 3-points. All fans are encouraged to come support the team on Monday, as tip-off is scheduled for 5:00pm.
