The Orange men’s basketball team was expecting an adventure when coveted forward Coleman Cloer made his season debut against Southern Alamance last week. It turned out to be a wilder night than anyone expected. The Panthers never led in regulation and trailed the Patriots by five points with :28 remaining in the fourth quarter. But Kai Wade came up with a crucial steal on an inbounds pass to put Orange within one point with 15 seconds remaining, and Cloer drained two free throws with :5.1 left to even the game 61-61 and eventually send it to overtime Wade drained a 23-foot 3-pointer for the opening field goal of regulation and the Panthers would go on to win 72-68 in its Central Conference opener. Cloer, a sophomore who has already received scholarship offers from N.C. State, Wake Forest, Mississippi State and Appalachian State, finished with 29 points to open the season after he missed Orange’s first eight games due to an ankle injury. Wade, another sophomore, finished with 17 points. Orange will start play in the John Wall Invitational next Thursday. Orange will open against former conference rival Northwood at Broughton High School. They will play three games over three days in the event in Raleigh before they start its 2024 calendar year.
Orange basketball’s Coleman Cloer & Kai Wade discuss overtime win over S. Alamance
The Orange men’s basketball team was expecting an adventure when coveted forward Coleman Cloer made his season debut against Southern Alamance last week. It turned out to be a wilder night than anyone expected. The Panthers never led in regulation and trailed the Patriots by five points with :28 remaining in the fourth quarter.