Some teams would shrink from the adversity of losing its experienced point guard with its season on the brink in the state playoffs.
On Tuesday night, Orange fed off of it. And they advanced.
Michael Clark, a senior co-Captain, scored off an offensive rebound while drawing a blocking foul with :32.7 remaining against C.B. Aycock. Clark’s subsequent free throw would put the Panthers ahead for good as Orange rallied to defeat the Golden Falcons 69-66 in Hillsborough on Tuesday night.
Orange (19-8) advances to face Person in the second round on Friday night. It will be the fourth matchup between the Rockets and the Panthers this season.
The final minute of the game had parallels to crushing Orange losses over the past two weeks that cost them the Central Conference regular season and tournament championships. Point guard Kai Wade fouled out with 1:24 remaining in regulation, just as he did when the Panthers lost to Eastern Alamance in the final regular season game, which the Eagles pulled out to win a share of the regular season title.
The Falcons took a 63-61 lead after Zimere Mcclarin scored off an offensive rebound with 1;24 remaining. Moments later, Wade was called for using his off arm to ward off Jaiden Williams, an offensive foul. Instead of Orange’s offence crumbling, their defense created opportunities.
Orange senior Xandrell Pennix slapped the subsequent midcoast inbounds pass back at Aycock guard Jarvis Williams, who caught the ball off the deflection while still standing out of bounds, leading to a Falcon turnover.
Pennix attempted a 3-pointer from the corner but missed. Clark captured the rebound, took a single dribble and forced up a shot from the middle of the paint against Aycock center Janeson Steele. The shot was good and, after a bit of a delay, Steele was called for a blocking foul.
After Clark’s free throw put Orange ahead 64-63, Panther guard Kamaal Smith nearly stole the inbounds pass. After a scramble on the floor, it was picked up by the Falcons’ Dominick Jones, who sprinted down the floor, floated between Clark and center Jalen Crayton but missed a chipee at the rim. Steele tapped the offensive rebound but came up short. Smith got the board, was fouled and sank two free throws with :22.1 remaining, putting the Panthers ahead 66-63.
Aycock’s Jarvis Williams beat the Orange full-court pressure down the floor on a breakaway, but missed a layup, leading to another Smith rebound and free throw. Aycock had a chance to tie with :2.7 remaining, but Smith stole the inbounds pass from three-quarters court and dribbled out the clock.
Aycock, who finished 2nd behind East Wake in the Quad County Conference, used its length and size to throw Orange’s offense into a tizzy early. The Panthers didn’t score in the opening 6:13. Pennix, who led the Panthers with 23 points, ended the drought with a drive to the basket with 1:47 remaining. Yet the Falcons couldn’t take advantage of it, shooting only 2-of-10 in the opening stanza. Remarkably, the Panthers scored 15 points in the final two minutes of the first quarter, keyed by 3-pointers from Wade and Pennix to take a 15-6 lead.
Aycock shot 7-of-9 in the second quarter, including three 3-pointers, outscoring Orange 22-8 to take a 28-23 halftime lead.
After Steele made two free throws to put the Falcons ahead 29-24 in the third quarter, Clark went on a personal 5-0 run to tie the game, capped with a 3-pointer assisted by Hector Garrido. Jaiden Williams, who led Aycock with 25 points, tied the game with two free throws. Orange scored on its next seven possessions, starting when Garrido took a pass from Pennix and earned an old school 3-point play while getting fouled by Jarvis Williams. Pennix and Wade made 3-pointers to extend the Panther lead to 42-37.
Crayton scored on a stickback with 2:53 remaining in regulation to put the Panthers ahead 61-55, but the Falcons went on a 10-0 run to take the lead down he stretch. Jaiden Williams was responsible for six consecutive points, including a lay-in assisted by Jarvis Williams to tie it up at 61-61 with 1:46 remaining.
It’s the first time that Orange has won state playoff games in back-to-back years since 2016-2017. Last year, the Panthers defeated Currituck County in the opening round.