2013-14 Builder & Lady Builder Basketball Awards Banquet

Posted: Apr 29, 2014

The 2013-14 Apprentice School basketball seasons officially came to an end on Wednesday night with the annual awards banquet held at the Point Plaza Hotel.

Award Winners For Men's and Women's Basketball are:

Men's Basketball

TEAM – 16-10 record

Third straight USCAA National Tournament bid
First-round win over #2-seed Rochester College
Won Penn State Greater Allegheny Tipoff
Defeated Chowan University in Murfreesboro, NC for first win since 2001 over the Hawks
Won at eventual USCAA National Champion Washington Adventist snapping a seven-game losing skid to the Shock

MVP Award-Jay Melendez – Sophomore, Outside Machinist, Suffolk, VA

Set school record with 65 3-pointers made
Topped team in scoring at 18.1 points per game – ranked 11^th in USCAA
Second in rebounding at 9.4 rebounds per game
Scored career high 33 points against Barber-Scotia in MLK Classic
Hauled in career-high 17 rebounds twice against Johnson University and Maine-Fort Kent
MVP of Penn State Greater Allegheny Tipoff

Coaches Award-Lance Darden – Junior, Outside Machinist, Emporia, VA

Took the role of playing whatever position needed – on the perimeter or in the paint.
Hauled in career high seven rebounds against NAIA Division I West Va. Tech
Had season high 21 points in win over Southern State at the Penn State Greater Allegheny Tipoff
Had season high five 3-pointers against Southern State and West Va. Tech
Scored 14 points hitting four 3-pointers in the USCAA Quarterfinal win over Rochester College

Most Improved Award-Johnnie Ferebee – Junior, Rigger, Norfolk, VA

Took this award to heart improving his numbers in all areas of his game.
Ranked fourth in the USCAA in assists averaging just under six per game.
Had seven games of eight or more assists – topped by 10 against Southern State CC
Named to the USCAA All-Tournament Team
Averaged 13.3 points, 5.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this year

Spirit Award-Zach Zastrow – Junior, Pipefitter, Newport News, VA

Always positive, pushing players to be the best on and off the court
Scored career high 15 points in 18 minutes of action against Chowan
Scored in double figures three games this year
Hit 30% from 3-point range ranking him second on the team in 3-point percentage

Builder Award - Zach Zastrow – Junior, Pipefitter, Newport News, VA

Handled the shooting guard position.
Crowd favorite with his instant offense capability.
Had career highs against Chowan of 15 points, five field goals made and four 3-pointers made.
In the Advanced Business Program.

The Builder Award is presented on behalf of the Apprentice Athletic Club to a student-athlete from each sport that has demonstrated excellence in four areas of their apprenticeship – Craftsmanship, Scholarship, Leadership and Sportsmanship. A candidate is selected based on their average shop grade over the course of their apprenticeship, their cumulative academic GPA in the World Class Shipbuilding and/or Advanced Curriculum, conduct on the job and the classroom, attendance and overall athletic contributions to their sport over the course of the past year. Each year the Apprentice Athletic Club presents this award to the student-athlete who embodies the true characteristics necessary to be not only a great Builder, but more importantly a great Shipbuilder.

Women's Basketball

TEAM – 22-5 RECORD

Made USCAA National Tournament for third time in last four years
Earned a first-round win at the tournament for first time since 2005-06 season
12-game winning streak during the season longest since team won 15 in 2001-02 season.
Flair for dramatic win against St. Andrews University with last second shot to tie game and win in overtime.
Only topped by the half-court bank shot by Shanae Hilliard as Lady Builders snapped Salem College's 16-game winning streak and made the school's first appearance on ESPN.
Took eventual USCAA National Champion Concordia College to the limit before losing in the USCAA National Semifinals.

Fifth most wins in a single-season in school history
- 24-3 in 2000-01
- 23-4 in 2011-12
- 23-5 in 2001-02 and 1999-00
- 22-5 in 2013-14

Offensive Player of the Year - Courtney Collins, Senior, Electrician, Norfolk, VA

Topped the team in scoring at 14.5 points per game and in field goal percentage at 55.4%
Scored in double figures in 22 games – six of those being 20 or more points.
Was second in the USCAA in field goal percentage
Set her career high in points scored with 25 against St. Andrews and again nine days later at Maine-Fort Kent.
Finished her career ranked second all-time in field goal percentage (51.2%), fourth in free throw percentage (68.2%) and fifth in scoring average (13.0).

Defensive Player of the Year - April McCoy, Senior, Outside Machinist, Va. Beach, VA

Tied for 11^th in USCAA in blocked shots averaging one per game.
Had six games with multiple-blocked shots – topped by five at Bennett College.
Had season high five steals against Maine-Machias.
Scored in double figures in 12 games – topped by 20 points against Penn State Fayette.
Averaged 8.7 points and 6.8 rebounds this year.

Most Valuable Player - Kenya Wilkerson, Sophomore, Electrician, Richmond, VA

USCAA Honorable Mention All-American
Averaged 8.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 3.1 steals per game
10 games scoring in double figures – topped by 20 points at Berkeley College
Career high nine rebounds at Greensboro College
Career high nine steals at Maine-Machias
Tied career high nine assists at Berkeley College
Was the engine that made the team go this year.
Finished third in the USCAA in steals and assists
She improved her numbers from freshman to sophomore year in every category.

Sharp Shooting Award - Shanae Hilliard, Junior, Molder, Alamogordo, NM

Set single-season 3-pointers made record with 60
Hit half-court bank shot at buzzer as Lady Builders defeated NCAA D3 Tournament participant Salem College to snap a 16-game winning streak by Salem.
That shot got the Apprentice School on ESPN SportsCenter as the #2 clip of the night on the Top 10 Countdown
Was 19^th in the USCAA in 3-point percentage
Scored 22 points by hitting seven 3-pointers at Washington Adventist University.
Averaged 10.3 points per game.

Most Improved - Kelsey Daniels, Freshman, Insulator, Rocky Mount, NC

Once she got adjusted to college basketball – her confidence and game developed more.
Had six games in double figures scoring in the second half of the season
Season best 20 points at Washington Adventist University
Had eight games of eight or more rebounds.
Was second on the team in offensive rebounds with 76
Averaged 5.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game as a freshman.

Builder Award – Brittanie Herriott, Senior, Maintenance Electrician, Va. Beach, VA

Team player, handled either guard position as a solid backup
Scored career high 12 points – hitting four 3-pointers in home win over Briarcliffe in MLK Classic
Hauled in career high six rebounds at Mid-Atlantic Christian
Dished out career high seven assists in home win over Bennett College in MLK Classic.