Builders Construct Five-Point Victory Over Gophers

Huff Opens 2011-12 Season with Game-High 19-Point Effort

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Goucher, which trailed Apprentice School by as many as 15 points on three separate occasions in the second half, put together a run of nine consecutive points to close to within 64-59 with :52 left to play. The Builders then converted just enough free throws in the time that remained to register a 69-64 victory over head coach Didi Cotton's Gophers tonight.

The 9-0 run started with a pair of free throws by freshman guard Sherlanda Buskey (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) with 2:37 showing on the clock and featured a 3-point basket by senior guard Elizabeth von Ende (Leawood, Kan./American Hebrew Academy), a layup by sophomore guard Precious Kollock (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco) and two more free throws by sophomore guard/forward Sharnell Huff (Bowie, Md./Bowie).

Apprentice tallied its first points in nearly two and a half minutes when Courtney Collins canned two foul shots with :29 remaining to put the home team up 66-59. After the Gophers again made it a two-possession game with a basket by senior forward Kiara Doughty (Salisbury, Md./Wicomico) with :20 remaining, Arynn Eason tacked on three points from the charity stripe to put the Builders (3-0) up 69-61.

von Ende closed out the scoring in the opening contest of Goucher's 2011-12 season by landing another shot from 3-point range just ahead of the final horn.

Huff, who was a perfect 8-of-8 at the free-throw line, led all scorers as she furnished the Gophers (0-1) with 19 points. von Ende added 17 points and Doughty chipped in with 13.

Apprentice, which shot 26-for-51 from the field (.510), had four players score in double figures: Denise Hamilton with 15, Tamara Davis with 14, Collins with 13 and Martika Williams with 10.