NEWPORT NEWS - The Apprentice School women's basketball team opened up their 2024 portion of the season with a 57-48 win over Virginia Wesleyan Wednesday night.

After a tightly contested first period, the Builders opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run to push a two point lead into double digits. The lead hung around 10 points for the majority of the game until the start of the fourth quarter when Apprentice used a 7-0 start to the final period to take its largest lead of the day at 16 points, 50-34.

The Marlins battled hard to trim the lead to as few as seven with under two minutes to play, but the Builders hit shots in the waning moments to quell any momentum in the visitors' favor.

Jada Bryant led all scorers with 17 points, adding 13 rebounds to her tally for a double-double, her sixth of the year and third straight. Jada Eleby finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 16 points and nine boards. Nyla Jackson had 11, while Ashawnti Williams put up 10.

The Builders will next face Johnson & Wales - Charlotte on Friday to open the MLK Classic at 3 p.m.