Newport News, VA – After a heartbreaking loss on Saturday, the Apprentice Women's Basketball team returned home for a Monday night match-up with Trinity Washington.  The Builders opened the season against the Tigers suffering a 3-point loss up in DC.  Apprentice was hungry for their first win of the season and hoped it would come at home. 

Brittney Jones took the opening tip-off and hit a short jumper to start the first quarter and that was followed by an Alena Puaauli-Pelham 3-pointer from the top of the key, for the early lead, 5-0.  Trinity would answer with a driving layup, but Nyla Jackson drained another Builders' 3-pointer from the wing.  The Tigers would match the basket and with 6:39 left in the quarter the score was 8-6.  After a dead ball, Ashawnti Williams was called for a technical foul allowing Trinity to pull to within 1-point, 8-7.  Apprentice would make a free throw of their own, but the Tigers connected on a 3-pointer to take their first lead of the game, 10-9.  They would increase their lead to 5-points, forcing Coach Hill to call a 30-second timeout.  Out of the timeout, Trinity picked up where they left off, hitting another 3-pointer followed by another, and as the quarter came to an end, the Builders would trail by a score of 22-11.

The second quarter started with Kerrigan Smalls hitting two free throws to pull Apprentice to within 9 points.  However, the Tigers had an answer, as did the Builders' Jordan Wilson, hitting the games' next two baskets.   Alena Puaauli-Pelham got back on the board, draining another 3-pointer, which forced Trinity to call a timeout to settle things down.  On the next possession, Brittney Jones took a defensive rebound and went coast-to-coast and converted the 3-point play, to trim the lead to 26-23.  The Tigers were able to stop the Apprentice momentum and with 2:30 left in the half they were back up by 6-points.  After some back and forth, the half came to an end with Trinity ahead 37-28. 

The third quarter began with Brittney Jones driving the court for a fastbreak layup.  She followed that up with an offensive rebound and the put back to trim the lead to 37-32.  Nyla Jackson cut the lead to 3-points with a long jumper and Jones cut it to 1-point with another driving layup.  Jones then found Ashawnti Williams under the basket where she was able to convert a 3-point play, giving the Builders the lead 39-37.  The score would eventually be 41-38 as Apprentice was on a 14-1 run and continuing to play smothering defense.  They continued their strong defensive play and as the quarter ended, the Builders held the advantage, 52-44. 

NeOndra Kelly got things started in the fourth quarter taking the ball on the baseline and driving to the basket for the 2-points.  For the next few minutes both teams were unable to score any points until Jamica Jones took a pass and hit a foul line jumper for the 8-point lead.  Kerrigan Smalls and Alena Puaauli-Pelham each drove the ball in the paint and, with 5:26 remaining in the game, Apprentice had their largest lead of the game, 60-48.  On the next possession Kerrigan Smalls drove in for a layup and to increase the lead to 14-points and then Puaauli-Pelham made it 15 points after hitting 1-2 free throws.  The Builders kept up the pressure and as the buzzer sounded, they would come away with their first win of the season, 67-54.

Brittney Jones led Apprentice with 18 points and 8 rebounds.   Ashawnti Williams finished with 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Alena Puaauli-Pelham and Jordan Wilson each added 9 points.  The Builders will return to action Wednesday at home as they host Regent University in the first game of a doubleheader.