The Orange men’s basketball team has built its identity on defense from the very beginning of this season.
After a sluggish first half against East Chapel Hill on Tuesday, the Panthers turned defense into offense for a blowout home win.
Senior Freddy Sneed scored a career-high 21 points while guard Xandrell Pennix added 16 as Orange (6-2) rolled past the Wildcats 82-63 at Panthers Gymnasium. Orange forced 13 turnovers in the second half to score a season high 82 points and held East to 29% from the field.
East (1-6) was led by Bennett Corley, who finished with 25 points.
The Wildcats led 28-27 at halftime behind Will Charkaclis, who scored eleven points in the first half. The Panthers full-court press’ forced five steals in the opening two minutes of the second half, leading to an 8-0 Orange run. After Sneed tied the game with a free throw, Michael Clark scored in transition to put the Panthers ahead for good with 6:54 remaining in the third quarter. Sneed picked the pocket of East’s Jameer Phelmetta and scored on a lay-in, leading to a Wildcats timeout.
That did little to stem the Orange tide. Panthers center Hector Garrido knocked a pass away from the Wildcats’ Frederick Rothert and scored in transition while getting fouled. His free throw extended Orange’s lead to 35-28.
Phelmetta and Characklis each made 3-pointers to keep the Wildcats within striking distance, but Pennix and Ethan Ellis triggered an 13-2 run, each hitting shots from downtown. The Panthers shot 10-of-14 in the third quarter and outscored the Wildcats 27-11.
Orange jumped out to a 9-4 lead with Sneed scoring consecutive field goals, including a dunk after he forced a steal. Characklis came off the bench to erase East’s deficit, sinking two free throws with 2:35 remaining in the first half to tie the game at 24-24. After a block by Corley, Characklis scored off a pass from center Makai Rhodes to put the Wildcats ahead 26-24.
Orange finished with 13 steals. Sophomore center Jalen Crayton had four blocks.
Orange junior point guard Kai Wade finished with ten points, eight assists and two steals. Wade has scored in double figures in all eight games this season for the Panthers. Wade started the season with a career-high 30 points against Voyager Academy.
Women’s basketball: Orange 52, East Chapel Hill 30: Orange senior center Marshea Byrd tied her season-high with ten points while Evelyn George finished with 12 points and ten rebounds as the Lady Panthers defeated the Wildcats for the fifth straight time.
George registered her fifth double-double of the season and the 15th of her career. George recorded her first double-double during her freshman year against Reidsville during the Eastern Guilford Holiday Tournament on December 27, 2021.
George has scored in double figures in all seven of Orange’s games this year. She recorded her career high with 26 points in a loss to Chapel Hill last week.
East Chapel Hill (1-8) was led by Alana Burroughs with eleven points.
The Wildcats Lauren Steiner scored the game’s opening field goal, but Orange pulled off 12 straight points to turn it into a rout. After Byrd scored the Lady Panthers’ opening field goal, Kyla Mehl drained a 3-pointer off a a pass from junior point guard Maura McMurtry. Byrd added another field goal, followed by another trey from McMurtry. Alexis Stephens, who scored six points in the first half, scored on a short jumper. Orange shot 7-of-13 from the field in the first quarter.
Stephens scored the first four points of the second quarter to expand Orange’s lead to 21-6. The Lady Panthers held the Wildcats to one field goal in the second quarter to take a 26-10 halftime lead. Orange grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and outrebounded the Wildcats 44-35.
Orange will face Western Alamance, the two-time defending Central Conference champions, tonight (Friday) at Panther Gymnasium.