Jone's 27 not enough to sink Builders ship

McKeesport PA- Derek Jones (Brownsville, PA) poured 27 points, pulled down four rebounds, and collected five steals in a Roaring Lion loss (0-1, 0-0) to the Apprentice School, Newport News, Va. in the opening game of the USCAA Tip Off Tournament, hosted by Penn State Greater Allegheny.  

The Builders from the Apprentice School beat Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus 96-67 as both teams tipped off the 2013-14 basketball season.  The Lions rolled to a 17-11 lead before the Builders tore off a 14-2 run.  Junior Forward Jacob Bronder (Pittsburgh, Pa) scored on a feed to the post from Darius Mack (Washington, D.C.) at the 10:41 mark to give Fayette's offense the push to end the nearly 5 minute scoring drought.  

A steal by Dierre Jenkins (Uniontown, Pa.) and a jumper by Jones pulled Fayette within 3 at 7:75.  However, a 16-5 Builder run led by Latrone Demiel gave the Apprentice school a lead it wouldn't relinquish.  A pair of late free throws by Builder Donte Johnson paved the way toward a 44-32 halftime lead.

Behind a 15-8 run to open the first 5 minutes of the second half, the Builders used their depth to out-run the Roaring Lions, using 12 men throughout the game to the Roaring Lions eight.  The outcome was ultimately decided by the battle of the boards, in which the Builders claimed a huge victory, out-rebounding the Lions 56-25.  

Jones was an outstanding 10 for 15 from the field, while nailing seven out of 10 behind the arc.  Jenkins was second in scoring, pouring in all of his 15 points from 3-point range. Bronder led the Lions in rebounding, pulling down nine, while adding eight points to his stat sheet.  Freshmen Sean Smoggie (Carmichaels, Pa.) and Dominick Jackson (Minneapolis, Minn.) added six and three respectively.