The Apprentice School men’s basketball team has been treading a difficult road in the first half of the 2014-15 season, and it has been doing so with some continued assistance from Suffolk.

Star guard/forward Jay Melendez, formerly of Nansemond River High School, has returned for the Builders in his junior year.

He had a breakout sophomore season in which he averaged a team-high 18.1 points per game, helping the Builders reach the USCAA Men’s Division I semifinals and achieve a 16-10 overall record.

Melendez is joined on the Apprentice School roster this season by three new Builders from Suffolk: freshman guard DeAndre Demiel, freshman guard/forward Jalen Ruffin and freshman guard DeQuan Fofana.

From the four Suffolk players, “the contributions have been good,” said Builders coach Franklin Chatman, who is also from Suffolk.

But he noted the players have suffered some ups and downs, just like the team, which currently holds a record of 5-7.

“We’ve played a tough schedule up to this point,” he said, noting opponents have included Northwood University (Florida), ranked No. 3 at the NAIA Division II level, along with Virginia Wesleyan College and Florida National University.

“We’ve only played one home game this year,” Chatman said, citing another challenge.

Additionally, while the Builders did not enter the season as an inexperienced team, injuries have thinned their ranks.

Nevertheless, Chatman said, Melendez has been solid as usual, though not without some struggles, in part because opponents have learned to prepare for him.

“He’s going to get every team’s best defender,” the coach said.

Melendez said, “This year, I’ve had to adapt to that, because my year last year was more unexpected to opponents.”

The special attention that Melendez gets from defenses has opened up opportunities for his teammate, senior guard Johnnie Ferebee, who averages 18 points a game to lead the team, but Melendez still averages 16.3 points to go with 7.3 rebounds.

He said he feels like his junior season has been going well, and his goals are to “help be a vocal leader and help get to the national championship.”

Though Demiel and Fofana are new to the team, Melendez is already familiar with them.

“We played together when we were younger,” he said, noting some of their shared court time came on the AAU Suffolk Blazers when they were in fifth grade. “It’s been good reuniting with them.”

Ruffin was on junior varsity at Nansemond River when Melendez was on varsity, and he has been pleased to see all three of them mature and play with him now as fellow Builders.

Demiel was born in Suffolk but moved to Portsmouth when he started middle school and later attended Churchland High School. He has started in the Builders’ past two games.

Chatman praised his court awareness, his craftiness and understanding of the game.

“He’s pretty good at seeing other players and making people better,” the coach said.

Demiel identified his experience thus far as a significant step up in difficulty.

“It’s been a big change from high school to college, but I like the challenge that it’s given me,” he said. “It’s been fun so far, too.”

Ruffin, who was part of the 2013-14 Warriors squad that went 19-4, has started four games for the Apprentice School so far.

He, too, said playing at the college level has been much different and much faster paced.

“I’m just trying to build up my level of play from here,” he said.

“He’s not afraid to make plays,” Chatman said of Ruffin. “He’s not a threat offensive-wise, but defensive-wise, he’s doing a great job of help defense.”

Ruffin said he feels like he can bring what the coach wants from him this year — rebounding and high energy and effort.

Injuries on the team have meant more playing time for Ruffin and Demiel, and injuries also have recently opened the door for Fofana to join the team. He was originally going to be the team’s manager this year.

Fofana, a King’s Fork High School graduate and son of King’s Fork girls’ basketball coach Maurice Fofana, has played in two games so far.

“It’s fun,” he said. “I just hit two big technical free throws the other day,” contributing to the Builders’ 91-68 win over Vaughn College.

Chatman said Fofana has shown him that “he’s very coachable, he listens and tries to do anything you ask him to do.”