In its final home game of the year, the Cedar Ridge women’s basketball team gave a sign of good times ahead.
It led to their biggest win of the season.
Freshman Elliott Wisenfeld drained two 3-pointers as Cedar Ridge closed with a 15-3 run in the final seven minutes of regulation to upset Eastern Alamance 47-35 on Thursday night in Hillsborough. Wisenfeld drained a 21-footer with 5:59 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 32-32. Sophomore Kate Finnegan scored a lay-up off a steal by Hailey McLeod to put the Red Wolves ahead for good.
The Cedar Ridge defense limited Eastern Alamance, who came into the game in second place in the Central Conference, to 3-of-98 shooting from the field in the fourth quarter. Cedar Ridge outscored the Eagles 20-7 in the final eight minutes. The Red Wolves shot 10-of-14 from the free throw line in the final quarter and went 4-of-5 from the field.
Eastern Alamance (11-10) had a two-game winning streak snapped. The Eagles led 28-23 with 2:22 remaining in the third quarter after Marion Scott scored a short jumper off a pass from Aliya Trollinger. Makayla Scott led the Eagles with 13 points. Cedar Ridge closed the quarter with two free throws from Finnegan and a jumper by Ava Smith off a pass from McLeod to close the Eagles lead to 28-27 going into the fourth quarter.
Cedar Ridge forced six Eastern Alamance turnovers in the fourth quarter and held the Eagles scoreless for over six minutes. Freshman Kennedi Fearrington, junior Jamee Watson and sophomore Esther Mwirinzi sank free throws in the fourth quarter to help the Red Wolves pull away. Makayla Scott injected some drama with a 3-pointer to cut the Red Wolves lead to 39-35, but Mwirinzi drained two more free throws, followed by a 3-pointer from Weisenfeld.
Cedar Ridge (7-12 overall, 3-8 in the Central Conference) will take a #6 seed into next week’s Central Conference Tournament. The Red Wolves will finish the regular season against Walter Williams in Burlington on Wednesday night.
The win ensured that Western Alamance would repeat as Central Conference regular season champions.
Orange 56, Southern Alamance 17: Lady Panthers forward Evelyn George completed her 12th double-double of the season and the 24th of her career as Orange easily put away Southern Alamance to remain in contention to finish in 2nd place in the Central Conference.
George registered 16 points, 13 rebounds, six steals and three assists as Orange improved to 14-8 overall, 7-4 in the Central Conference.
Senior forward Shannon Murphy finished with 13 points while sophomore Lily Wilson had a career-high 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.
Sarah Kathryn Manness led Southern Alamance with nine points. The Patriots managed to stay close early as Cayla Shaw and Manness closed the first quarter with consecutive field goals to cut Orange’s lead to 14-12 going into the second quarter.
Wilson opened the second quarter with a three-pointer off a skip pass from George, but the Patriots refused to go away. Madison Holloway and Shaw each scored field goals to reduce the Orange lead to 17-16. George grabbed an offensive rebound and found Wilson for another 3-pointer, which sparked a 20-0 Orange run. Southern Alamance didn’t score in the final 4:18 of the first half.
Orange junior point guard closed out the first half with a 3-pointer off a pass from Wilson to send the Lady Panthers into the locker room with a 33-16 lead.
Orange held Southern Alamance without a field goal in the second half, outscoring the Patriots 26-1. The Lady Panthers led by as much as 56-17 in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Panthers are now guaranteed a home game in the opening round of the Central Conference Tournament. They will face Eastern Alamance on Friday night for senior night. George, Murphy, Marshea Byrd, Chloe Caldwell, Bryce Jones and Rhiley Crabtree will be honored during festivities between games of the doubleheader just before the men’s game.