NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – A Tamara Davis 3-pointer with one minute left in the second half put the Apprentice School ahead to stay as they came back from an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat Briarcliffe College 76-70 in the nightcap of the Great Ships Classic on Friday night.
Apprentice School (4-0) jumped out to an early 10-6 avantage on a 3-pointer from Courtney Collins with 15:24 left. Briarcliffe (2-1) answered with a 15-4 run to take a 21-14 lead on a Jessica Little 3-pointer with 9:37 left.
The Seahawks controlled the first half from there and pushed the lead to 32-20 on a pair of Simone Thomas free throws with 6:22 left. Apprentice School cut it to four with a minute left on a pair of Tysheka Simpson free throws, but Briarcliffe's Ifeanyi Ofili scored the last four points of the half putting Briarcliffe up 41-33 at intermission.
The second half saw Apprentice School tie it up at 41-all on a Jasmine Pringle 3-pointer with 16:50 left, but the Seahawks quickly pushed the lead back to five points on a jumper from Ofili with 13:51 left. Danita Whitaker's jumper with 9:11 left put the Lady Builders ahead for the first time in the second half at 55-53. Another Whitaker jumper at the 7:55 mark put Apprentice School up 59-57 and, but the Seahawks fought back and tied the game at 64-all on a layup from Ofili with 3:55 left.
Down the stretch a Davis jumper tied the game at 66-all before a Collins free throw put Apprentice up 67-66 with 1:59 left. Ofili's layup gave Briarcliffe its last lead 68-67 with 1:50 remaining. Whitaker's three-point play put Apprentice up 70-68 with 98 seconds left before Ofili's driving layup tied the game for the final time 70-70 with 72 seconds remaining.
On the ensuing possession, Collins found Davis from the right wing and drained a 3-pointer with one minute left for a 73-70 lead. Jasmine Pringle's two free throws with 27 seconds left and Collins hit a free throw with 11 seconds left for the final 76-70 margin.
Collins was the leading scorer for Apprentice School with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Whitaker added 12 points and six rebounds. Davis hauled in a career-high 18 rebounds and added four steals with her nine points. Briarcliffe was paced by Thomas with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Ofili added 25 points.
Apprentice School faces Penn State Fayette in the 3 pm matchup on Saturday, while Briarcliffe takes on Southern Virginia University in a 1 pm tip Saturday.
