Month: January 2016

There are no 35-page scouting reports in high school basketball. At least, not yet.

There’s not even online video, which is shared by high school football coaches via the streaming service Hudl. If a prep basketball coach wants to scout an opponent, they simply go to games.

It’s not the old fashioned way. It’s the way it is. Still.

Going into the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on Monday, there were eight undefeated high school teams in North Carolina. Greg Motley knew his Orange Panthers would be playing one of them, the 2-A Goldsboro Cougars, 14-0 from the Eastern Carolina Conference. And the day after, a rematch at Cedar Ridge, who the Panthers defeated 74-67 on December 11th.

Since the Holiday in the Pines Tournament ended on December 29th, the Panthers have even wrapped up in exams and the Big 8 Conference. They entered Monday having won five of its last six.

So would there be extensive film study of the Cougars in an effort to be the team to put the blemish on a spotless record?

Not really.

“To be honest, we didn’t do any research because we’ve been so focused on our Confernece games,” said Motley.

The preparation was insulated. Orange started the day by going to a Martin Luther King event in downtown Durham, followed by lunch at Northgate Mall.

Doesn’t sound like much, but the results paid off handsomely.

Orange stunned the undefeated Cougars 85-69 at the Durham School of the Arts to improve to 9-7. Senior Connor Crabtree finsihed with 28 points and 9 rebounds. 6’6 Logan Vosburg provided a key inside presence the Cougars lacked, registering 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Crabtree was named the winner of the Jerry Stackhouse Award for game MVP.

Instead of pregame preparation, Motley relied on in-game adjustments, which included the continued offensive improvement of point guard Cameron Cavanaugh, who finished with 14 points.

The Cougars, who have scored over 80 points in nine of its 14 wins, was held to a season-low 69 points on 29% shooting from the field. Myron Cameron finished with 19 points on 6-of-22 shooting.

Goldsboro jumped out to a 9-2 lead, but Orange responded by scoring 14 points in the final three minutes of the first quarter. Chandler Compton’s three-point play with :11 remaining put Orange ahead 16-14 going into the second quarter.

The Panthers’ mixture of strong inside play and cautious transition offense swelled the lead to 40-25 in the second quarter. Crabtree scored 12 in the second quarter, while Vosburg added ten.

In the third quarter, Orange shot 8-of-9 from the field to extend its lead to 59-40 after a 3-pointer from Cavanaugh with 2:04 remaining.

Predictably, Goldsboro had a run in them to make it a game. A 17-5 run narrowed the Orange lead to 71-66 with 4:53 remaining after a three-pointer by Nakia Atkins. After Crabtree split a pair of free throws, Myron Carmon had a three-pointer rim out, and Crabtree scored a stick back to end the run.

Three Cougars fouled out. Crabtree finished 14-of-15 from the foul line. Orange shot 26-of-35 from the charity stripe.

Now the Panthers go from the unknown to a crosstown rival in the span of 24 hours. Tonight, it’s Cedar Ridge at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Orange enters 5-1 in the Big 8, 2nd in the conference behind Southern Durham.

Cedar Ridge expected to be among the contenders in the Big 8. Instead, they’re tied for 5th with Webb at 1-4, ahead of only Northwood.

Our coverage at Hillsboroughsports.com starts at 6:50. You can listen in right here.

By now, if you click on a story about Orange basketball, you know the drill.

Read about how many points Connor Crabtree scores, see who the latest schools recruiting him are, shut down the computer and wait until the next game three nights later.

Well, here on the basics. Orange defeated Chapel Hill 77-67 on Friday night at Tiger Gymnasium. Crabtree scored 32 points and was the focal point of the offense once again.

But halfway through the season, there’s a little more to Orange now than there was when the season started at East Chapel Hill a month ago.

Coach Greg Motley is starting to get 10-12 bodies in the lineup every game. On Friday, that was more of a necessity than luxury as Orange played its third game in four nights.

Of course, it was Crabtree who was the straw that stirred the Panthers’ drink.

“We know what we can get from him,” said Motley about Crabtree, who has already received a scholarship offer from Lehigh. On Tuesday night, coaches from High Point and Appalchian State were on hand for the Southern Durham game “He brings the offense every night. That’s what he does for us.”

From the very beginning, Motley has employed a point guard by committee in hopes of finding a scoring option to replace Eryk Brandon-Dean, who was lost for the season on September 30th with a torn ACL suffered against Southern Durham in football.

For at least one night, Motley found several solutions. Cameron Cavanaugh got a rare start and keyed a 10-1 third quarter run with two 3-pointers that put Orange ahead 41-31. Orange didn’t trail in the 2nd half. Cavanaugh finished with a career-high 11 points.

While Brandon-Dean won’t return from his football injury, Jace Jordan-Cornell has returned from his. The center, who injured his calf against Northwood November 13, scored four points.

The victory capped a successful week for the Panthers, where they led Big 8 leader Southern Durham going into the fourth quarter before losing late 85-77. On Thursday night, Orange traveled to Pittsboro and defeated the Chargers 68-60.

After an 0-3 start, Orange has now won four of its last five.

Motley played 11 players against the Tigers. Logan Vosurg scored 13 points, while Daniel Mulligan added nine. Demares Drummond scored six points, but backup guard Alex Long got the lion’s share of minutes during the second half.

Chandler Compton, a reserve forward who committed to play soccer at Wofford earlier this week, added two points.

Orange goes into exam break 7-7, 4-1 in the Big 8 Conference. They face Oxford Webb in Hillsbrough on Friday night. You can hear that game here on Hillsboroughsports.com starting at 6:50.

After an 0-4 start in the Big 8 Conference, including losing what was deemed a “must win” against Chapel Hill, Cedar Ridge’s game against Northwood was mandatory on Friday night.

And they got it.

Peyton Pappas scored 29 points as the Red Wolves defeated the Chargers 68-61 in Red Wolves Gymnasium. Jacob Thomas added 19 points as the Red Wolves earned its first league win. Cedar Ridge is now 7-7.

Northwood, which loss to Orange on Thursday, led 47-45 going into the fourth quarter before the Red Wolves out scored them 23-14 in the fourth quarter.

Cedar Ridge will take next week off for exam break. They return to action on Tuesday, January 19th with a home game against archrival Orange.

The usual big games from Connor Crabtree and Logan Vosburg led Orange to its fourth win in five games on Friday night at Chapel Hill. But there were also big games from Cameron Cavanaugh and the return of Jace Jordan-Cornell. Orange Coach Greg Motley discussed the victory over the Tigers.

Orange Defeats Chapel Hill 77-67

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There have been two disturbing patterns so far this season for Hillsborough’s basketball teams.

For Cedar Ridge, it’s been an inability to push out to big leads when they have an opponent on the ropes.

For Orange, it’s been faltering down the stretch.

Both teams fell victim to those patterns again on Tuesday night.

For Cedar Ridge, it may cost them a chance to make the state playoffs. Chapel Hill defeated the Red Wolves 75-67 in Hillsborough, sending the Red Wolves to 0-4 in the Big 8. Peyton Pappas led Cedar Ridge with 30 points. Forward Jacob Thomas, who transferred from Chapel Hill, added 20 points.

CHHS has a guard-oriented lineup, but still found a way to get to the foul line 27 times. Elijah Haynes scored 19 points to lead the Tigers, who improved to 5-7, 3-0 in the Big 8. Freshmen Ben Gaynes and A.J. Thompson added 16.

Cedar Ridge is now 7-7 with a home game coming up Friday against Northwood.

Southern Durham, now 4-0 in the Big 8, defeated Orange 85-77.

The Panthers led 57-55 going into the fourth quarter, but Southern out scored Orange 30-20 in the final frame.

Connor Crabtree led the Panthers with 28 points and seven rebounds. Coaches from High Point and Appalachian State were in the gym to watch Crabtree, who received a scholarship offer from Lehigh last month.

The Panthers ( turn right back around to face Northwood on Thursday night, then travel to Chapel Hill on Friday. Orange is now 5-7, 2-1 in the Big 8.

Winter break was a rest in name only for the Orange Wrestling team. During the holidays, the Panthers competed in the Tiger Holiday Classic at Chapel Hill High, the Eagle Invitational at Eastern Alamance High and hosted the Orange Winter Duals last weekend.

It was during the latter event that the Panthers suffered its first dual losses of the season, both matches coming down to the wire. The Swansboro Pirates defeated Orange 34-28. With three matches remaining, the Panthers led 28-16 after Payton Wilson pinned the Pirates’ Andre Hill in 2:57. Swansboro scored pins at 285 and  113, along with a major decision at 106 to become the first team to beat OHS this season.

Orange’s subsequent 67-7 victory over rebuilding Sanderson wasn’t a formality as much as proof that there’s a first time for everything. It was the first time Orange coach Bobby Shriner coached against one of his sons. Nic Shriner, who graduated from Appalachian State last spring, is now the head coach of the Spartans, who has captured the CAP-8 championship the last five seasons. The dual match features victories by Orange’s Lucas Riley, Christopher Lopeman, Mario Manduiano, Lawrence Bell, Evan Pasley (via pin fall) and Levi Anderson.

Later in the day, Southeast Guilford knocked off the Panthers 35-33. The Falcons scored three pins to earn the win. Orange capped the day with a 63-11 victory over Greenville Rose.

Now the focus is on the Webb Warriors, who visit Jim King Gymnasium tonight at 6. Orange is 16-2, 2-0 in the Big 8 after a thrilling 38-36 victory over Northwood on December 16th.

Among the grapplers who have stood out thus far for Orange is senior Joe Scott at 152, who is 23-3 with 14 pins. Sophomore Bailey Hawkins is 24-5 with 13 pins at 120 (and several matches at 126). Heavyweight Dayles Alston is 24-6 after scoring two pins last weekend. Wilson, who started the season a few weeks late after football season bled into the opening wrestling workouts, is 22-5. He finished in 3rd place at 220 at the Tiger Holiday Classic.

Also tonight, the Cedar Ridge Red Wolves face Chapel Hill at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Cedar Ridge fell to Orange in its last Big 8 dual match. The Tigers figure to be the main challenger remaining for Orange for the Big 8 Conference Championship.

As the Christmas trees and decorations come down, Orange and Cedar Ridge will pick up action tonight in the Big 8 Conference.

For the Red Wolves, tonight’s home game against Chapel Hill is simply a must-win.

Cedar Ridge is 0-3 in league play, which isn’t how Coach Clay Jones expected to start. With Chapel Hill transfer Jacob Thomas providing a low-post scoring punch with Jonathan Hall, along with the backcourt play of Peyton Pappas, the Red Wolves figured to be fighting with Southern Durham and Northwood for the Big 8 lead.

Instead, Cedar Ridge (7-6) lost its conference opener to Orange on December 11th 71-67 behind 32 points from Connor Crabtree. Pappas missed the subsequent game against Northern Vance, a home loss where the Red Wolves were sluggish without its leading scorer.

After a 2nd-place finish in the Clinton Christmas Tournament, Jones immediately started scouting the Tigers. Chapel Hill (4-7) lost all three of its games in the South Granville holiday tournament, but is 2-0 in the Big 8.

This is the roller coaster part of the season for both teams. After a week off for Christmas, CRHS played two games in two days in Clinton. They have home games against Chapel Hill and Northwood this week, then don’t play again until January 19 against Orange.

“I think our guys are focused,” said Jones. “It’s all hands on deck. Chapel Hill is a must-win because we can’t expect to be at the top of this conference and be 0-4.”

Orange faces three games in four days. Tonight, it’s Southern Durham in Hillsborough. On Thursday, consecutive road trips to Northwood, followed by Chapel Hill the following night.

The Panthers (5-6, 2-0) is coming off a 5th place finish in the Holiday in the Pines tournament, where they defeated New Life Christian Academy and Charlotte Olympic in the final two days. Orange opened with a 105-96 loss to Richmond County on the first day, where Connor Crabtree scored 43 points.

Southern Durham (3-0), Orange and Chapel Hill (2-0) are tied for first place in the loss column in the Big 8. The Spartans wasted little time in becoming the front runners in the league by claiming road wins over Northwood (85-55) and Oxford Webb (71-54). The Spartans are led by guard J’Tori Christmas, who averages 15.1 points per game. Antonio Daye averages 13.4 points per game.

Tonight’s game will be a test for the Panther backcourt. The Spartans have multiple 3-point options, and Orange has struggled to find consistent guard scoring with the absence of Eryk Brandon-Dean. Orange will likely opt for a slower pace of play with Crabtree and center Logan Vosburg.

Hillsboroughsports.com will broadcast Friday’s game between Orange and Chapel Hill starting at 7 from Tiger Gymansium.