NEWPORT NEWS, VA. - Sophomore Eric Joe's blocked an attempted game-winning layup from Jonathan Rumley at the buzzer as Apprentice School held off Averett University for a 74-73 victory on Sunday.
The Builders opened the game on a 12-3 burst taking that lead on a 3-point play from Joe with 15:40 left. Averett, who was pre-season picked to win the USA South Athletic Conference and was a NCAA Tournament team in 2006-07, answered with a 22-4 run over the next 9:35 to take a 25-16 lead on an Aaron Logan free throw with 6:05 left in the half..
Apprentice School answered with eight straight points over the next 63 seconds on a pair of 3-pointers from Eric Ruffin and Nolan Thompson and a Ruffin layup for a 25-24 Averett lead with 5:02 remaining. That was as close as the Builders would get in the first half as a Jonathan Rumley 3-pointer at the horn gave the Cougars a 37-33 advantage.
In the second half, Jason Arrington exploded for 19 of his game-high 22 points. He opened with the first seven Builder points. His last points in that run opened an 8-0 run in 85 seconds for the Builders to take a 46-44 advantage on a 3-pointer from Thomas Scott with 15:19 remaining.
Averett responded with the next six points taking a 50-46 advantage on a layup from Cory McDaniel with 13:57 left. A pair of Antione Paige free throws following a layup gave the Builders a 50-all tie with 12:27 remaining. Rumley hit a pair of foul shots 25 seconds later for Averett's last lead at 52-50.
Arrington answered nailing his second 3-pointer off a feed from Ruffin at the 11:40 mark for a 53-52 Builder lead. While the Builders pushed the lead to seven points at 62-55 on an Arrington jumper with 8:11 left, the Cougars had one last push in them.
Averett, who was 27th in the D3hoops.com pre-season national poll, forced a 67-all tie with 4:27 left on a Damien Brown free throw. After the Builders surged ahead by 73-68 on a Paige jumper with 2:33 left, the Cougars used a pair of Brandon Lamone free throws and a 3-pointer from Mike Miller with 24 seconds left for a 73-all tie.
Arrington hit the front end of a two-shot foul with 11 seconds left for the 74-73 lead. Rumley took the inbounds pass and drove through the defense with an open look from the left side and Joe came from the opposite end to swat the ball into Ruffin's hands as the clock expired.
The 22 points from Arrington matched his season high at Francis Marion on November 19. Joe had season highs of 15 points and nine rebounds, while Paige and Ruffin chipped in 11 apiece. Rumley and Cory McDaniel paced Averett with 19 points each.
Apprentice School now hits the road traveling to Maine for a matchup with USCAA opponent Southern Maine CC on Thursday night in South Portland, Maine.
APPRENTICE SCHOOL 74, AVERETT 73
AVERETT (1-2): Malone 4-5 3-4 11, Rumley 7-12 4-5 19, Mcdaniel 7-13 1-2 19, Wehling 0-2 0-0 0, Brown 3-6 4-7 10, Parker 1-3 0-0 3, Logan 0-0 5-6 5, Wyley 0-1 0-0 0, Stone 1-3 1-2 3, Miller 1-5 0-0 3, Braakman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-50 18-26 73.
APPRENTICE (2-3): Spratley 0-3 2-2 2, Ruffin 5-15 0-0 11, Paige 3-9 4-5 11, Arrington 7-10 5-7 22, Washington 0-0 0-0 0, Cherry 3-4 0-0 7, Scott 1-2 0-0 3, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Thompson 1-5 0-0 3, Joe 6-8 3-8 15, Johnson 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 26-59 14-22 74.
Halftime: Averett 37-33. 3-point goals: Averett 7-20 (Malone 0-1, Rumley 1-2, McDaniel 4-9, Wehling 0-1, Parker 1-2, Stone 0-1, Miller 1-4); Apprentice 8-21 (Spratley 0-1, Ruffin 1-4, Paige 1-3, Arrington 3-5, Cherry 1-2, Scott 1-2, Thompson 1-4). Rebounds: Averett 31 (Brown 8); Apprentice 36 (Ruffin, Joe 9). Total fouls: Averett 20, Apprentice 24. Fouled out: McDaniel. Assists: Averett 13 (Rumley 4); Apprentice 16 (Ruffin, Paige, Cherry 4). Att.: 273.
