When the Orange women’s basketball team defeated Swansboro last February, it was their first win in the state playoffs in seven years.
They didn’t have to wait seven years for its second playoff win under head coach Joshua Underwood.
Sophomore Kassidy Tolliver scored 14 points while freshman Mia Albright added ten as the Lady Panthers rolled past Havelock 57-23 in the opening round of the 5A State Playoffs on Tuesday night in Hillsborough.
The Lady Panthers, seeded #11, will travel to 6th seeded Rockingham County on Thursday night in the round of 32. It will be the first matchup between the Lady Panthers and the Cougars since 2017, when Rockingham eliminated an Orange squad that finished 26-2.
Senior Maura McMurtry, in her final home game, started the night with a 3-pointer as the Lady Panthers never trailed. Albright and senior Natalie Roberson also had 3-pointers as the Lady Panthers charged out to a 13-4 lead.
The Rams (5-17) finished the first quarter with field goals from Brooklyn Willis, Lilliana Perry and Addison Garner to shrink the Orange lead to 16-11 going into the second quarter.
Roberson opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer off a kick out pass from senior center Alexis Stephens, which triggered a 14-0 Lady Panther run. Consecutive field goals by Tolliver pushed the Orange lead to 30-11.
The Lady Panthers forced 32 turnovers. McMurtry finished with nine points, seven steals, six assists and four rebounds. Junior Lily Wilson had seven points.
Garner paced Havelock with six points. It was the first meeting between the Rams and the Lady Panthers since the 2nd round of the 2017 State Playoffs.
