There was no question the Orange men’s basketball team had offensive firepower returning this year, even after losing leading scorer Mekai Collins.
But even the most optimistic Panther fan may have been stunned by Friday night.
Despite leading scorer Joey McMullin fouling out early in the fourth quarter, the Panthers ran up its most points in a game in nearly 13 years.
Kendell Brooks, who had scored a combined 14 points in Orange’s opening three games, registered a stunning 25 points off the bench as the Panthers surged past Southern Alamance 97-74 on Friday night in Patriots Gymnasium.
Junior guard Jason Franklin also had a career-high of 27 points as the Panthers bombarded the Patriots with 15 3-pointers.
It was the most points for Orange in a single game since February 9, 2007 in a 109-104 win over Cedar Ridge.
Orange completed a string of three games in four days with a 4-0 record, its best start in at least 14 years.
Southern Alamance (1-3) was led by 6-5 center Grant Thompson, who scored 22 points, the highest among four Patriots in double-figures. But he scored only two points in the final quarter, long after Orange pulled away.
While you wouldn’t know it looking at the scoreboard, Orange had its fair share of adversity en route to highest scoring game of the decade. In front of a packed gymnasium in Graham, the Panthers were called for eight of the first nine fouls in the first half, and the first seven fouls of the second half. Each of Orange’s five starters picked up two fouls before halftime.
That’s why Brooks’ contribution was so huge. And so surprising.
After he scored two points against Southern Lee the night before, Brooks put up ten in the first quarter and went into halftime with 13.
“He’s got it in him,” Orange Coach Derryl Britt said. “We’ve known it, which is why he was pulled up from JV last year. It took him some time for him to get acclimated to the speed of the game at the varsity level. He knows he’s an integral part of the team now.”
An up-tempo, full court, faster-than-Metallica-in-the-mid-80s pace was established right off the jump ball when Orange’s Machai Holt scored off a lay-in and Jerec Thompson canned the first of his five 3-pointers to send Orange up 5-0.
The Patriots responded with a 13-3 run, including a three-pointer from Dylan Brewer and a three-point play from Evan Shaw, who sent starting point guard J.J. Thompson to the bench with two fouls. Shortly after McMullin drained a trey to end a 11-0 Patriot spree, he also picked up his second foul.
As the Patriots controlled the offensive boards early, it would have been easy for Orange to panic. Instead, Franklin hit consecutive 3-pointers to even the game at 14.
Then Brooks went to work. After a steal by Tucker Miller, Brooks canned his first 3-pointer. Brooks scored seven consecutive points to send Orange ahead 24-15, including a coast-to-coast lay-in that forced a Patriots timeout.
Southern Alamance opened the second quarter with a 12-1 run to take the lead back, which ended with freshman Harrison Watson scored on a field goal after being fouled by Jerec Thompson.
Orange responded with a three-pointer from Jerec Thompson, and McMullin blocked a shot by Brewer, leading to another Thompson trey. After Grant Thompson threw in a jump hook, McMullin scored six consecutive points to push Orange ahead 37-33. After Brooks scored on an acrobatic lay-in, reserve Jared Wood scored Orange’s final four points in the first half to send the Panthers into the locker room ahead 47-41.
The Patriots were unable to keep up with Orange’s overwhelming pace in the second half. Brooks and Franklin canned two 3-pointers in the third quarter, while Jerec Thompson added another.
Holt ended the game in classic fashion after he slammed home his tenth point with 1:06 remaining, then was called for a technical foul (his fifth foul) for hanging on the rim. With victory in hand, Holt existed by blowing kisses to the Orange contingent, who stood and applauded as the Panthers’ secured its first road win of the year.
ORANGE 97, SOUTHERN ALAMANCE 74
ORANGE–Jerec Thompson 18, Jason Franklin 27, Machai Holt 10, Joey McMullin 9, Tucker Miller 4, Kendrell Brooks 25, Jared Wood 4.
SOUTHERN ALAMANCE: Dylan Brewer 6, Evan Shaw 15, Marcellus Walker 11, Elijah Deanhardt 2, Grant Thompson 22, Ben King 2, Maddux Smith 2, Harrison Watson 10, Chandler Eakes 2.
3-Pointers ORANGE 15 (Jer. Thompson 5, Franklin 4, Brooks 4, McMullin 2) SOUTHERN ALAMANCE 3 (Brewer 2, Shaw)
FOULED OUT: ORANGE (McMullin, Holt) Southern Alamance: none.