NEWPORT NEWS, VA. -- A wild 26-5 second half run over nine and a half minutes by the Apprentice School Lady Builders brought them back from a 16-point second half deficit to defeat Barber-Scotia College 68-57 in the first night of the Martin Luther King Classic at Apprentice Gym Friday.

The visiting Sabers forced the Lady Builders into a 21.7% performance from the field as they used a 14-2 run early to jump out to a 14-6 lead on a Tesha Wilson layup with 12:58 left.  Barber-Scotia grew the lead to 21-10 on a Wilson free throw with 6:33 left before Apprentice School chopped it down to 27-20 at the half on a free throw from Danita Whitaker with 33 seconds left.

In the second half, Barber-Scotia opened on a 9-0 run to take its largest lead of the night at 36-20 on a Synquis Phillips jumper with 15:37 left.  The Lady Builders turned on a press and frustrated the young Sabers into 17 of their 20 second half turnovers as Apprentice School started on its run.  They took their first lead since 4-3 on a Tamara Davis layup with 10:25 left to lead 40-39.  A Shanae Hilliard steal and layup capped the run to put Apprentice School up 50-43 with 6:10 left.

Barber-Scotia stopped the run with a pair of Wilson free throws before Apprentice School reeled off the next nine unanswered to take its largest lead at 59-45 on a Denise Hamilton free throw with 3:26 left.

Hamilton topped Apprentice School (12-1) in scoring with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Whitaker had 14 points and six rebounds and Hilliard had 10 points and five steals.  Wilson topped Barber-Scotia (3-13) with 17 points and Lindsay Lee added 10 and seven rebounds.

Apprentice School now takes on Briarcliffe College in the 6 pm game on Saturday night to close out day two of the Martin Luther King Classic.  Briarcliffe, entered the classic ranked third in the USCAA, lost to ninth-ranked Berkeley College (NY) 67-66 in the first game of the day.