The Orange women’s basketball team came away from the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoopla Tournament with two wins.
It was their best finish in a holiday tournament since winning the Eastern Guilford Christmas Tournament in 2022.
On December 30, sophomore Kassidy Tolliver finished with 14 points and nine rebounds as the Lady Panthers never trailed in a 55-47 win over Green Hope in the fifth place game at Haw River. Freshman Mia Albright came away with a career-high 14 points with six rebounds and four steals.
After falling to Green Level to start the tournament, Orange had wire-to-wire wins against Southern Alamance and the Falcons to improve to 6-4.
Ziva Lewis led Green Hope (6-8) with 14 points.
Orange used its quickness to force 38 turnovers, including 22 steals. Tolliver, who has grown used to her new team after spending last year at Cedar Ridge, had a season-high six steals. In the three games in the tournament, Tolliver finished with 17 points against Green Level and 16 against Southern Alamance. She tied her season-high against the Falcons.
Tolliver was named to the All-Tournament team.
After Green Hope’s Kathryn Ayers scored off a stickleback basket for the game’s opening field goal, Orange reeled off eight straight points and didn’t trail again. Tolliver scored consecutive field goals to giver Orange the lead. Senior Natalie Roberson drained a 3-pointer off a pass from Maura McMurtry. Albright knocked down a 3-pointer to put Orange ahead 15-6 late in the first quarter. The Lady Panthers shot 6-of-11 from the field in the opening quarter.
Orange built its lead to 37-19 after two free throws from Albright midway through the third quarter. The Falcons mired the game with fouls in the final 12 minutes, which led to the two teams combining for 25 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter. The Falcons reduced Orange’s lead to 55-45 in the final minute.
Orange will return to Big 7 Conference action at Carrboro on Tuesday night. Orange is 1-0 in the Big 7 after starting league play with a win over Cedar Ridge on December 16.
Men’s Basketball: East Chapel Hill 62, Orange 51
A torrent start for Orange didn’t last as the Wildcats got 22 points from Jameer Phelmetta to defeat Orange in the fifth-place game of the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoopla Men’s Tournament.
Orange roared out to a 17-2 lead after J.T. Gray, Logan Edwards, Jakob Silinski all hit 3-pointers in the opening 3:46. Phelmetta scored East’s opening field goal over four minutes into the game, which was promptly followed by another 3-pointer from Edwards.
Orange shot 12-of-17 from the field in the opening quarter, including five 3-pointers.
East’s David Bryan and William Characklis hit back-to-back 3-pointers to trigger the East comeback. East closed the quarter with a 9-2 run, starting when Characklis drained three free throws after betting fouled by Edwards. Phelmetta canned another shot from downtown to reduce Orange’s lead to 19-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Orange junior Hector Garrido finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Garrido was named to the All Tournament team. Jalen Crayton scored on a lay-in with three seconds remaining in the first half off an assist from Garrido to send Orange ahead 32-27 at halftime.
Silinski hit a 3-pointer open the second half and and increase Orange’s lead to 35-29. After Gray knocked down a 15-footer, the Wildcats scored eight straight points to take the lead. Phelmetta tied the game at 40-40. with a 21-footer assisted by center William Hardin. James Adams gave East its first lead with another 3-pointer assisted by Characklis with 1:25 remaining in the third quarter. After a steal by Hardin, Characklis drained another trey. Phelmetta picked the pocket of Silinski and scored on a coast-to-coast lay-in to put the Wildcats ahead 48-40.
In the fourth quarter, Gray scored a 3-pointer to cut the Wildcat lead to 51-49, but the Wildcats scored nine straight to put the game away. Blake Williams and Bryan each hit shots from downtown during the run.
Orange (2-10) will travel to Carrboro on Tuesday night.
