NEWPORT NEWS, VA. - A 29-3 run over a 14 minute stretch spanning both halves gave the Apprentice School a 69-46 victory over the visiting Bennett Belles on Tuesday night in a U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association matchup.
The first 15 minutes of the game saw the teams trade small leads as the Belles held a four point advantage on two occasions and lead 19-17 on a Janay Walker jumper with 6:30 remaining. An Asia Smith jumper with 4:53 left brought the Belles even at 21-all and that's when the Lady Builders took off. They closed the first half on a 12-3 run to take a 33-24 lead into the locker room on a Valleri West stick back with 20 seconds left in the half.
In the second half, the lead exploded as the Apprentice School jumped out scoring the first 17 points of the half and held the Belles to a 0-for-14 performance from the floor for the first 9:02. The scoring binge stopped with 11:15 left as a Tyisha Battle jumper put the hosts ahead 50-24. Bennett snapped its cold skid on a 3-pointer from Kennetta Johnson with 10:58 remaining to bring the deficit to 50-27. From that point, the lead for the Lady Builders was never lower than 21 points.
Battle was the leading scorer in the game with 17 points and nine rebounds, while West and Rahshann Lewter each added 14 points and Shameka Warren had 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for Apprentice School (14-10).
Next up for the Lady Builders will be senior day on Sunday as they host USCAA rival Columbia Union College in a 4 pm tipoff.
APPRENTICE SCHOOL 69, BENNETT COLLEGE 46
BENNETT COLLEGE (5-13): Sharnice Thornton 4-12 0-0 11; Nicole Miller 4-17 1-3 10; Janay Walker 3-6 1-2 7; Kennetta Johnson 2-4 0-0 6; Chenique Bonds 2-10 1-2 5; Asia Smith 2-5 0-2 4; Sharonda LaBoard 1-9 0-0 3; Keley Smith 0-0 0-0 0; Shayla Brodie 0-0 0-0 0; Angie Pearson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-63 3-9 46.
APPRENTICE SCHOOL (14-10): Tyisha Battle 6-11 5-6 17; Rahshann Lewter 4-11 4-4 14; Valleri West 5-7 4-4 14; Shameka Warren 3-5 7-10 13; Denise Hamilton 4-10 1-3 9; Natarsha Whitworth 1-1 0-0 2; LaTorya Grimes 0-2 0-0 0; Upenda Morton 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 23-50 21-27 69.
Halftime-Apprentice 33-24. 3-point goals--Bennett College 7-21 (Sharnice Thornton 3-7; Kennetta Johnson 2-4; Sharonda LaBoard 1-5; Nicole Miller 1-5), Apprentice School 2-11 (Rahshann Lewter 2-6; Denise Hamilton 0-2; Upenda Morton 0-3). Fouled out--Bennett College-Sharonda LaBoard, Apprentice School-None. Rebounds--Bennett College 28 (Nicole Miller 6), Apprentice School 51 (Shameka Warren 13). Assists--Bennett College 15 (Kennetta Johnson 7), Apprentice School 17 (Rahshann Lewter 7). Total fouls--Bennett College 19, Apprentice School 10. Technical fouls--Bennett College-None, Apprentice School-None.