Jan. 16, 2010

Final Stats

DURHAM, N.C. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) - Junior guard C.J. Wilkerson exploded for 20 second-half points to finish with a season-high 30 points, leading North Carolina Central University to a convincing 86-65 victory over Newport News Apprentice in the final contest of the fifth annual BC Powder Classic on Saturday night inside McDougald-McLendon Gym.

After shooting 2-for-6 in the opening stanza, Wilkerson made all eight field goal attempts in the second half, including three from long range. The Oxford, N.C. native, who tallied 23 points in Friday's win over Tennessee Temple, was selected as the BC Powder Classic Most Valuable Player.

NCCU junior guard Vincent Davis added 18 points to earn a spot on the All-Classic Team, while freshman forward Dijon Manns contributed 12 points. Senior point guard Michael Glasker distributed 15 assists, one shy of the school record, with only three turnovers for the Eagles (4-15).

Newport News Apprentice (8-8) was topped by sophomore forward Isaih Harrison with 17 points and a game-high 18 rebounds to claim All-Classic Team honors. Three other Builders recorded double figures in the scoring column, including Eric Joe (18), Tevin Andrews (12) and Andre Henderson (11),

NCCU established new shooting standards on the season by connecting on 54.1 percent from the field (33-of-61) and 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from three-point land.

The game opened with an unusual technical foul against NCCU for dunking during the warm-ups. Joe stepped to the line for the Builders and drained both free throws for a 2-0 lead before a second ticked off the clock.

That turned out to be the only lead of the night for Newport News Apprentice, as the Eagles scored seven straight during a 12-2 run to take a 14-4 advantage at 15:11 after back-to-back dunks by Nick Chasten and Wilkerson.

Newport News Apprentice responded with nine unanswered points to trim the deficit to 14-13 at 12:07, but NCCU answered with 10 straight points, including six from Joshua Worthy, to push the cushion back up to double digits at 24-13 with 9:00 remaining in the first half.

NCCU took a 42-33 lead into the locker room.

Wilkerson recorded the Eagles' first 11 points in the second half to provide a double-figure margin that held the rest of the way, resulting in a 21-point victory.

In the first game on Saturday, Chowan defeated Tennessee Temple, 71-54. Mark Brown scored a game-high 22 points for the Hawks, while Lando Morrison recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Jaleel Nelson added 15 points and five assists. Morrison and Nelson rounded out the All-Classic Team.

Up next for NCCU, the Eagles visit Blacksburg, Va. to play Virginia Tech on Monday (Jan. 18) at 8 p.m.

For post-game comments from NCCU head coach LeVelle Moton and Classic M.V.P. C.J. Wilkerson, visit the official NCCU Athletics YouTube page at www.youtube.com/NCCUEagles.