Orange Panther of the Week: Evelyn George
This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior basketball forward Evelyn George. This week, George scored her 1,000th point in Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge at Red Wolf Gymnasium. George has played at the varsity level since her freshman year along her older sister, Samantha. Since then, George has had 20 career double-doubles. After Orange’s win over Person on Thursday night, George leads the team in scoring and rebounds with 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. She also leads the team in steals and blocks and is the top free throw shooter at 89%. She started this season with 20 points and eleven rebounds in a win over Garner. Last year against Walter Williams, George scored a career-high 31 points in a 46-44 win in Hillsborough. George is the first Orange player to reach 1,000 career points since Lauren Cates, who graduated in 2019. She has helped Orange reach the state playoffs in each of her four years in Hillsborough. Her reliability as a finisher has made George the leader of Orange women’s basketball. In addition, George played softball last year for an Orange team that reached the third round of the state playoffs. George’s spot in Orange women’s basketball history is firmly entrenched and she look to lead the Lady Panthers to a state playoff win for the first time since 2017 in February.
Orange Panther of the Week: Evelyn George
This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior basketball forward Evelyn George. This week, George scored her 1,000th point in Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge at Red Wolf Gymnasium. George has played at the varsity level since her freshman year along her older sister, Samantha. Since then, George has had 20 career double-doubles.
George scores 1,000th point in Orange women’s win over Cedar Ridge 47-22
Since her freshman year, Evelyn George has gone about things her own way with the Orange women’s basketball team.
She’s never been the most physically imposing or boisterous. But she has been remarkably consistent as the Lady Panthers have reached the 3A State Playoff each of the last four years.
Very quickly during her senior year at Orange, George has had the landmark moments in her career add up. Last Friday, she registered her 20th career double-double in Orange’s 58-41 win at Williams, the Lady Panthers first victory in Burlington since 2018.
On Tuesday night, George became the first Lady Panther to score 1,000 career points in six years. True to form for one of the most consistent finishers in school history, George surpassed the milestone off a lay-in assisted by Maura McMurtry.
George is the first Orange player to score 1,000 points since Lauren Cates, a three-point ace who graduated in 2019. Cates was a member of Orange’s last conference championship team in 2016-2017.
George finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals as Orange (7-6 overall, 2-2 in the Central Conference) defeated Cedar Ridge 47-22 at Red Wolves Gymnasium. After Cedar Ridge freshman Elliott Wisenfeld scored on a lay-in assisted by Kassidy Tolliver, Orange went on a 12-2 run. The Lady Panthers limited the Red Wolves to three field goals in the first half.
Orange senior Kyla Mehl had a career-high five points during the early spurt that put the game away. Natalie Robertson and Marshea Byrd had field goals to close out the first quarter as Orange shot 5-of-8 from the field in the opening eight minutes.
George opened the second quarter by sinking a jumper, then created a steal off full-court pressure and scored off a lay-in.
Cedar Ridge, who swept the regular season series from Orange last year, was led by Wisenfeld with six points. The Lady Panthers defense sunk its claws into the Red Wolves defensively. Cedar Ridge shot just 13% from the field.
Senior Shannon Murphy added eight points for Orange, while senior center Marshea Byrd added six points and seven rebounds.
Stealing Christmas; Pennix scores 18, Orange forces 15 steals in 73-48 win over Western Alamance; Sykes leads Warriors past Lady Panthers
Just in time for the holidays, the Orange men’s basketball team was like the Grinch in an empty house on Christmas Eve before his babyface turn.
Doing lots of stealing.
In fact, Orange forced 27 turnovers against Western Alamance on Friday night, jump starting a 12-0 run to open the second half as the Panthers rolled past the Warriors 73-48 in Hillsborough. It was Orange’s sixth straight victory over Western Alamance.
Senior Xandrell Pennix was the leading scorer for the Panthers with 16 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, as Orange evened its Central Conference record at 1-1. Michael Clark drained all three of his 3-point attempts and finished with 15 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the field. Orange improved to 7-2 going into Christmas week.
Western Alamance, who started the season 4-0, played without guard James Newton, who was in Spartanburg, South Carolina suiting up for North Carolina in the Shrine Bowl. The Warriors (4-2, 0-1) were led by Camden Oliveira, who scored 16 points and five rebounds.
After the Warriors scored the opening five points, including a 3-pointer from Hamilton Plunkett, Orange responded with a 14-3 run and didn’t trail again. Clark and Pennix drained consecutive 3-pointers while Freddie Sneed scored off a steal and lay-in after he picked the pocket of Plunkett at midcourt.
The Panthers made their living off a half-court trap. In the second quarter, Orange forced three consecutive turnovers that led to points, including a 10-second violation. Oliveira kept the Warriors within striking distance, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the first half. The Panthers led 37-17 at halftime after Kai Wade sank two free throws, followed by a 3-pointer from sophomore Ethan Ellis.
Wade, a junior point guard, has scored in double figures in all nine of Orange’s games.
The Panthers quickly made it a rout in the second half. After Wade stripped the ball away from Oliveira, Clark drained back-to-back shots from downtown. Then Clark stole the ball from guard Jayden Jones, leading to a lay-in from Sneed assisted by Pennix. Pennix added to the Warriors woes with a 3-pointer to extend the Orange lead to 50-27. Warriors coach Ryan Suttles responded by pulling his entire starting five and let his reserves finish out the quarter. It was a move that proved to be beneficial for backup Western guard Drew Cohn, who scored eleven points in six minutes.
Orange will make a trip to Northeast Guilford to face the Ivanhoe Knights from Australia on Monday night. Next Friday, the Panthers will open play in the South Granville Holiday Invitational. They will open the eight-team tournament against East Wake.
Women’s basketball: Western Alamance 64, Orange 35:
The Western Alamance women’s basketball team is the defending Central Conference champions. On Friday night, they looked the part in a dominant performance over Orange in the Warriors opening league game.
Senior Allie Sykes led the Warriors with 15 points as the Warriors improved to 6-1. They avenged its only conference loss from last year against the Lady Panthers.
After Orange’s Marshea Byrd tied the game at 2-2 with a lay-in, the Warriors kept the Lady Panthers scoreless for the final 6:07 of the first quarter. As usual, the Warriors outside game was fierce, sinking ten 3-pointers. Though Sykes was the only Warrior in double-figures, nine different Western Alamance players scored.
Orange senior Evelyn George led the Panthers with 18 points, but only three Orange players scored in the first half as the Warriors led 35-11 at halftime. George has scored in double figures in all eight of Orange’s games this year. Addie Atkins added six points for Orange, but the Lady Panthers were hampered by the Warriors perimeter defense. Orange sank just one 3-pointer.
Orange will head to Haw River for the holidays. They will open the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoops Invitational on Friday with a first round game against Southeast Alamance. The athletic director at Southeast Alamance is former Orange women’s basketball coach B.J. Condron.
Orange senior center Marshea Byrd discusses win over Southern Lee
The Orange women’s basketball team defeated East Chapel Hill behind the strongest game of the season from center Marshea Byrd on Tuesday night. Byrd tied her season-high of ten points as the Lady Panthers bounced back from a tough loss to Eastern Alamance to improve to 4-3. Orange is under first-year head coach Joshua Underwood. He inherits an experienced team that returns all five starters from last year. Byrd was a starter on last year’s team, which reached the state playoffs and finished 13-13. Orange began the Central Conference campaign with wins in each of its first three games last year and was the only team in the league to defeat Western Alamance, who claimed the conference title. On November 25, Byrd scored ten points as Orange defeated Southern Lee 58-46 in Hillsborough. Orange shot 49% from the field in the win over the Cavaliers. In October, Byrd was named the Homecoming Queen at halftime of Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge. Byrd has been a varsity player for three seasons. Orange will face Western Alamance in a crucial conference game on Friday night in Hillsborough. Over Christmas break, the Lady Panthers will face Southeast Alamance in Haw River to start play in the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoops Invitational on December 27. The Lady Panthers will also play in the tournament on December 28 and 30th.
Orange women’s basketball center Marshea Byrd discusses win over Southern Lee
The Orange women’s basketball team defeated East Chapel Hill behind the strongest game of the season from center Marshea Byrd on Tuesday night. Byrd tied her season-high of ten points as the Lady Panthers bounced back from a tough loss to Eastern Alamance to improve to 4-3.
Orange at Eastern Alamance basketball! Listen live to the doubleheader here!
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Orange’s Evelyn George and Maura McMurtry discuss winning season-opener
It was a special season-opening win for the Orange women’s basketball team on Monday night. The Lady Panthers defeated Garner 53-31 at Panther Gymasnium in Hillsborough. It was the first win for new Orange women’s basketball coach Joshua Underwood, a former assistant at Eastern Alamance. Forward Evelyn George started her senior year with a double-double, leading Orange with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Last season, George recorded four double-doubles and scored in double-figures in 23 of Orange’s 26 games. Junior point guard Maura McMurtry added 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range. Orange never trailed in the game, jumping out to a 10-1 lead and building a lead as high as 26 points. The Lady Panthers were without two starters as Addi Atkins and Shannon Murphy didn’t play. After losing just one senior from the 2023-2024 team, Orange returns all five starters, as well as key reserve players like Natalie Roberson, Rhiley Crabtree, Alexis Stephens and Bryce Jones. Orange was the only team in the Central Conference to defeat Western Alamance last year. The Lady Panthers will have a golden opportunity to improve on its 13-13 record from a year ago. Orange will return to action against Southern Lee in Hillsborough on Monday night. The Lady Panthers will then travel to Northwood next Tuesday in its final game before Thanksgiving.
Orange women’s basketball’s Evelyn George & Maura McMurtry discuss season-opening win vs. Garner
It was a special season-opening win for the Orange women’s basketball team on Monday night. The Lady Panthers defeated Garner 53-31 at Panther Gymasnium in Hillsborough. It was the first win for new Orange women’s basketball coach Joshua Underwood, a former assistant at Eastern Alamance.