Before the Cedar Ridge and Orange boys and girls basketball teams go thinking about opening presents, getting much-needed rest during Christmas break and enjoying the NBA’s smorgasbord of games next Sunday, they have their business to take care of on the hardwood.
On Friday, the Cedar Ridge boys and girls were supposed to play on Friday against Southern Durham. The Orange squads were slated to face Northern Vance. None of those games took place. They Orange County School System cancelled after school activities on Friday afternoon due to the threat of freezing rain. That despite the fact that Northern Vance’s boys and girls team had already made the 75-minute trip from near the Virginia border to Hillsborough by bus, only to be told there would be no games that night (The doubleheaders are slated to be rescheduled for January, though a date hasn’t been determined by school).
Now, CRHS and Orange have vital games this week before going into their holiday tournament. Cedar Ridge will play two games in two days, starting with its first road trip of the season tonight against Granville Central in Stem. (It will be another tripleheader, with the girls playing at 6, the boys at 7:30). Then on Tuesday night, the boys travel to Chapel Hill, while the girls will host the Red Wolves.
Cedar Ridge is 4-3, 1-1 in the Big 8 Conference. They will enter tonight’s game against the Panthers will five days off after its thrilling 39-36 victory over Northern Vance last Wednesday, a game where Dmonte Kinney hit the game-winning 3-pointer with :18 remaining.
For Cedar Ridge, the layoff between games was welcomed with open arms. Center Colby Cashaw has been hampered with a knee injury since the Orange game on December 10. He was held to two points against the Vikings.
The Orange boys have only one game this week, but it will play a huge role in the Big 8 Championship race. They travel to Southern Durham on Tuesday night for at 7:00 tipoff.
The Panthers lost to East Chapel Hill on Wednesday 67-58 to fall to 5-4. They shot 36% from the field, but only 5-of-24 from 3-point range. Connor Crabtree scored a season-high 35 points, but Logan Vosburg was held to a season-low four points.
The Orange girls will get a chance to go into Christmas undefeated when they host Soutnern Durham on Tuesday at 7:00. Orange held off East Chapel Hill 46-39 on Tuesday at Wildcat Gymnasium. Kaylen Campbell scored 13 points while Jazlyn Watson registered 12. Icez Barnett had 12 rebounds, though East Chapel Hill outrebounded the Panthers 38-34. The Panthers’ defense stifled the Wildcats, limiting them to 22% shooting from the field.
The local schools will split in different directions for their respective holiday tournaments.
The Orange boys travel to Greensboro for the Eastern Guilford Holiday Tournament, starting Wednesday, December 28. It will be an eight-team field with the championship slated for December 30.
The Orange Girls and Cedar Ridge girls will both play in Mebane at the Eastern Alamance Holiday Tournament starting December 29th. It’s also an eight-team field with the championship set for New Year’s Eve.
As for the Cedar Ridge boys, they head to Southern Pines for the Holiday in the Pines tournament. The Red Wolves will open against Pinecrest on December 28th.