Men’s basketball goes 1-2 for the week
For the second time in 11 days, the Gators fell to The Apprentice School in a men’s basketball game, but this time the final score was much closer, 61-55.
After a close first half, the host Builders (13-6, 8-0) started to pull away in the New South Athletic Conference contest Feb. 1. The Gators fell behind by 15 before staging a rally, closing the gap to two points in the final 30 seconds. The Builders hung on by hitting four free throws down the stretch.
Jhalen Harris scored 14 points to lead the Gators. Javion Majette added 12 points and seven rebounds, and Keshaun Johnson had 10 points.
In their first game Jan. 21, the Builders also pulled away after halftime, but didn’t allow the Gators to make a run, winning 62-46.
The Gators returned to the court three days later and suffered a non-conference home loss to Berkeley College (N.Y.) 73-69.
The next day, the Gators (9-7, 2-3) got back to their winning ways, downing Carolina Christian 78-66 in a conference home game. Harris again led the way, scoring 19 points and adding six assists and three steals. Johnson followed with 17 points and 10 rebounds, Majette had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and Quishaun Brevard chipped in 11 points and five rebounds.
Up this week are a pair of road games: Feb. 7 at Blue Lights College in Apex, N.C.; Feb. 11 at Chesapeake College (1 p.m.).
Baseball sweeps DH from W&M club team
Despite temperatures in the 30s on Saturday, the Gators played a doubleheader against the College of William & Mary’s club team, winning both.
In the first game, Jude Morton had three hits (including a home run) and drove in five runs to lead the Gators to a 15-7 victory. Joey Williams and Grant Adkins each had two hits and drove in three runs. Nate Sherman added two hits and two RBI. The Gators had 13 hits to just three for W&M in the six-inning game. Hunter Strole picked up the win, going 1 1/3 innings and giving up no runs. He struck out two.
Morton had another home run and drove in three more runs in the second game as the Gators won 12-4 in five innings. Neo Klemish had two hits and two RBI, and Zac Barco and Sherman also had two hits. On the mound, Aydan Harmon earned the win, giving up one earned run in two innings.
The team has three doubleheaders this week: Feb. 8 vs. The Apprentice School at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton (1 p.m.); Feb. 10 at Anne Arundel CC in Arnold, Md., (11 a.m.); and Feb.11 vs. Anne Arundel CC at Luter Park in Smithfield (11 a.m.).
Women’s basketball idle last week
The Gators were off again last week. Their next game is the season finale Feb. 18 at The Apprentice School at 2 p.m.
For more information on VPCC athletics, go to https://www.vpcc.edu/life/Athletics/index.html.