Firebirds’ Late Rally Falls Short in 90-88 Loss at Apprentice School

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Trailing by nine with 1:15 left in regulation, the Firebirds used an 11-4 run to pull within two in the waning moments of Saturday's game, but it was too little too late as UDC fell to Apprentice School, 90-88.

Guards Michael Terry (Criminal Justice – Philadelphia, PA/Boston U) and Kory Cooley (Art – Silver Spring, MD/Calvin Coolidge HS) each scored 30 points apiece to lead the Firebirds. Terry shot 9-of-23 from the field (4-of-13 from three-point range) and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line to finish with a season-high point total while also hauling in nine rebounds and handing out four assists. Cooley shot 12-of-17 from the field (4-of-8 from long range) for a season-high total as well, and he also added five steals, four rebounds and three assists.

The Apprentice School, which competes in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, improved to 4-4 on the season. The Builders were led by Jay Melendez with team-highs of 20 points and nine rebounds.

While shooting and rebounding were pretty even – UDC shot 44-percent and AS shot 46-percent and the Builders out-rebounded the Firebirds 45-44 – UDC did turn it over six more times (19-13) and was out-scored in the paint (54-34) and in bench points (43-13).

Cooley canned two three-pointers within the first five minutes of the game to help UDC race out to its largest lead of the day, 14-8. The Builders responded, however, with a 12-2 run and took the lead for good. They added to their lead later with an 11-2 run to go up 43-29 with just under six minutes left in the opening half. AS would take a 53-42 lead into halftime.

Twice within the first 10 minutes of the second half, UDC closed to within six, and just before the seven-minute mark, they pulled within two (73-71) courtesy of a 6-0 run. Over the next six minutes, however, Apprentice School out-scored UDC 15-6, and extended its lead back up to nine, 86-77 with 1:15 left in regulation. Terry nearly single-handedly brought UDC all the way back, scoring UDC's final 11 points of the game during a game-closing 11-4 run, but the Builders' 4-of-4 from the free-throw line was enough to help them prevail, 90-88.

UDC (0-8) will now begin its East Coast Conference slate on Wednesday, December 10^th as the Firebirds host NYIT at 5 p.m.