NEWPORT NEWS - In a single word, dominance. The Apprentice School women's basketball team saw their offense explode Sunday afternoon as they defeated Millenia Atlantic in the New South Athletic Conference Championship, 99-41.
Apprentice shot 10-of-20 from three-point land, marking the third best shooting percentage from distance in program history.
The Builders led wire-to-wire with the game only being tied at 2-2 before the offense exploded. Apprentice finished the first quarter on a 20-2 run and then scored the first seven points of the second quarter to jump out to a massive lead. From there, the shots kept falling with the Builders shooting 59.3 percent from the floor in the first half to take a 49-13 lead into intermission.
Millenia started to see some shots fall in the second half, but Apprentice's shooting never cooled off, putting up 50 more points in the second half in route to their first NSAC championship in program history.
Five Builders finished in double figures, led by
NeOndra Kelly's 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the floor, including five three pointers.
Siara Lundy had a career-high 20 points, her first collegiate game with double digit scoring.
Dajanelle Linton-Robinson finished with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, and
Joy Wright was one rebound shy of a double-double with 14 points.
Shilah-Rayn Lord added 12 points.
Linton-Robinson was named the Tournament MVP, averaging a double-double for the tournament at 14.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. Wright and Kelly were named to the All-Tournament Team, joined by MACU's Carly James, SC Central's Adriana Henderson and Millenia's Abigail Thoephile and Angina Martin.
The Builders now await the USCAA National Tournament bids to be announced Tuesday morning at 11:40 a.m. on the USCAA Sports Network. Coming into the week at No. 5 in the coaches poll, Apprentice will likely get a bid and head to Buffalo for the Division I Tournament starting on March 3.