FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. Methodist University men's basketball hosted Newport News Apprentice School on Tuesday, December 12, night in a non-conference game. With little over a second left on the clock, the Monarchs had a chance to tie the ballgame but were unable to do so and fell 70-68 to the Builders.
JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Apprentice def. Methodist, 70-68
Records: Methodist 2-6, Apprentice 8-3
Location: March F. Riddle Center; Fayetteville, North Carolina
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Karree Smith recorded the first four points of the game for Apprentice but the next eight points were then made by Methodist, with Malek Ngong scoring four. The teams traded points for the next five minutes before the duo of Smith and Isaiah Jones produced a 7-0 scoring run for the Builders to take a 22-14 advantage.
- Free throws by Zac Sledge, one, and Aaron Potter, three, cut the difference down to 23-20 until three of the next four Apprentice possessions were three-pointers to increase the lead back to double-digits, 12 points. A three by D.J. Squire brought the Monarchs to within nine, 34-25, and that would be the deficit that Methodist faced heading into the break after each side made an addition layup.
- In the opening two minutes of the second half, Sledge (three points) and Ngong (two pts.) of the Monarchs trimmed the Builders lead down to six points, 38-32. Over the course of the next seven minutes, Apprentice went on a 15-6 scoring run to make it a 15-point difference. For as long as it took for the Builder to establish that lead Methodist's De'Shaun Kee and Sledge tallied six quick points, in just one minute, to make it 53-44 with a little over ten minutes remaining.
- Following a couple of 6-0 scoring spurts to keep themselves in striking distance, Brian Bullock knocked down a three to bring the Monarchs to within five, 67-62. After Jones made one of his two free throws for Apprentice, jumpers by Derrion Hicklen and Sledge cut it a two-point affair, 68-66, for Methodist. The Builders added two more points to their total at the charity stripe before Potter, of the Monarchs, was fouled on a made layup to make it 70-68. Methodist called a timeout to discuss its next play and the missed free throw ended up in the hands of a Monarch right next to basket. Unfortunately, they could not convert and came up short of either going to overtime or a last second win.
MORE TO IT
- In his first game back from injury, junior center Sledge led Methodist in points (16), rebounds (nine), and blocks (four).
- Several other Monarchs had good overall games as well including Chance Minott, who registered five points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and a block, and Kee, eight points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block.
- Methodist controlled the battle of the boards as the team outrebounded Apprentice 43 to 38, which includes a 15 to nine difference in offensive rebounds.
- The Monarch's bench accounted for over 50%, 35 points, of the team's total points.
UP NEXT
Methodist has another home game at the end of the week on Friday, December 15, against Piedmont University, in a non-conference rematch. The opening tip is scheduled for 12 PM.
