FINAL SCORE: Apprentice School 74, Williamson Trade 54

RECORDS: Williamson Trade 7-12, Apprentice School 11-7

LOCATION: Apprentice Gym/MLK Classic

ON THE COURT: Sophomore Jay Melendez scored 18 points and hauled in a game-high 15 rebounds as the Apprentice School pulled away in the second half for a 74-54 win over Williamson Trade in the second day of the 2014 Martin Luther King Classic.

Williamson would hang around most of the first half as they used an 8-2 flurry over a nearly four minute span to take its largest lead of the day at 13-8 on a pair of Justin Swift free throws with 13:44 left.  Apprentice School responded with a 14-5 run over the next 5:35 to lead 22-18 on a Melendez dunk with 8:09 left. 

The Mechanics would tie the game one more time at 22-all on a 3-pointer from Swift at the 6:08 mark, but the Builders would eventually push the margin to 11 points late in the half as a Zach Zastrow 3-point play with 16 seconds left gave the hosts a 37-26 lead.

In the second half, the Builders used a 13-4 run in the first 6:48 to lead 50-32 on a Tony Walton layup with 13:12 left.  The lead was no less than 13 points the rest of the game.

BEHIND THE BOXSCORE

• Melendez not only was tops in scoring and rebounds in the game, he had a game-high four assists.
• Jamal Curry missed out on his fifth straight double double with six points, but was second in rebounds with 11.
• Two other Builders narrowly missed a double-double tonight with each missing it by one rebounds.  Darrell Fenton had 13 points, while Terrence Palmer added 10.
• For the second time in its last four games, the Builders had as many offensive rebounds (34) as the opponent had total rebounds (32).  On the game, the Builders out-rebounded Williamson 66-32.   They pulled that feat against Maine-Fort Kent on Jan. 8 when they hauled in 30 offensive rebounds while the Bengals had 30 total rebounds.
• With his two 3-pointers tonight, Melendez is now tied for seventh on the single-season 3-pointers made list with 51.  He's tied with former teammate Tevin Andrews who hit 51 last season and Kendrick Hall who hit 51 in the 1998-99 season.
• Williamson was paced by Swift with 16 points, Debro Curtis with 13 and Keron Tull with 10.

OTHER MLK SCORES

Lindenwood-Belleville defeated Barber-Scotia 77-63 on the men's side, while Briarcliffe (NY) defeated Bennett 55-45 in the lone women's game Saturday.

NEXT UP

The Builders close out the 2014 MLK Classic on Sunday with a 1pm tip against Barber-Scotia College.  Following that will be the Lady Builders against Briarcliffe at 3 pm.