BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Apprentice School men's basketball team is one win away from defending their national title after a 100-81 win over No. 8 Berkeley Thursday night at the USCAA National Tournament.

With the win, the Builders will take on No. 3 Villa Maria, one of the host schools, in the championship game tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m.

The Knights jumped out to a nine-point lead after the first five minutes at 17-8 before the Builders turned up the offense, scoring 21 of the next 31 points to cut the lead to 29-27 with eight minutes to go in the first half. Apprentice tied the game up at 32-32 with 5:02 left in the period and then stretched the lead to 47-38 by intermission.

Apprentice kept the lead at double figures for the majority of the second half, pushing the margin to as many as 21 down the stretch to return to the championship game for the fourth time in program history, winning each of the first three.

The Builders were led by Adrion Wall's 31 points on 8-of-13 shooting. He hit six three pointers. Donovan Means nearly matched that number, hitting five threes on the way to a 30-point night.