Rock Hill, SC – After a big road win on Friday night, the Apprentice Men's Basketball team traveled south to South Carolina to face #3 Clinton College. This would be a big test for the #10 Builders and both teams were jockeying for the top spot in the EMAC. Apprentice knew that in order to come away with the win, they would have to have an answer for the Bears offense.
Clinton got on the board first to start the first half, after getting the ball inside for a turnaround jumper. On the next possession they would steal the ball and complete a fast break to take the early lead, 4-0. Corey Joyner finally put the Builders on the board with a coast-to-coast layup and then a basket by Marion Moore tied the game at 4-4. The Bears would eventually take a 3-point lead. 8-5, until Karree Smith tied it with a 3-pointer from the wing. Apprentice took their largest lead of the game after Marion Moore pulled up for a short jumper, 13-10. On their next possession Corey Joyner threw a quick pass to Jayden Eason under the basket to push their lead to 5-points and that was followed by another Marion Moore jumper to give them their largest advantage of the game, 17-10, forcing Clinton to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Corey Joyner took the ball on the baseline and drove it to the basket to give the Builders a 9-point lead. They continued their run when Karree Smith stole the ball and found Marion Moore for the two-hand jam at the other end of the court. The Bears would make a run and with 1:23 left in the half, cut the lead to 5 points, 30-25 and as the half came to an end Apprentice would only lead by 1-point, 32-31.
A 3-pointer by Clinton put them back in the lead to start the second half, but a drive by Adrion Wall tied the game up at 34-34. However, the Bears would regain the lead after making two free throws and then increase their advantage to 7-points, 42-35, forcing Coach Kee to call a time out. After the timeout, Clinton took the ball and drained a 3-pointer to give them their largest lead of the game 45-35. A defensive rebound by Corey Joyner turned into his second coast-to-coast layup, pulling the Builders to within 8-points, 49-41. After the teams traded baskets, Corey Joyner pulled up for a step back 3-pointer and drained it from the wing to pull Apprentice to within 4-points. As the Bears were trying to bring the ball up the court. Amari Aklin stole the ball and drove in for a layup to cut the lead to 58-56. However, Clinton would have an answer and was able to push their lead back to 9 points, 67-58. With 3:55 remaining in the game, Jayden Eason grabbed his missed shot and put it back in to pull back to within 6-points, and that was followed by a Corey Joyner 3-pointer, making it a one possession game, 75-72. With 2:00 remaining, Karee Smith made a back door cut and all of the sudden the Builders were only down by 1-point, 75-74. However, they were not able to regain the lead and as the buzzer sounded, Apprentice would fall by a final score of 85-82.
Corey Joyner had a season high 36 points to lead the Builders, while Karree Smith finished the game with 15 points. After splitting their two games this weekend, Apprentice will return home for another EMAC match-up as they welcome in crosstown Regent University on Wednesday, February 2nd. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7:00pm and will be the second part of a doubleheader with the women's team.