Since reaching the 3A state quarterfinals in 2017, very little has gone according to plan for the Orange men’s basketball program.
After Connor Crabtree, possibly the best player in school history, graduated following Orange’s 23-7 season, the Panthers started rebuilding.
When most teams enter that phase, the formula is the same. They take their lumps early and hope the dues they pay then will be rewarded years down the line.
Before Christmas, that appeared to be how this season was shaping up. Orange was 7-1, it’s best start in 14 years. They dominated established programs like Granville Central and Walter Williams, then blew out East Chapel Hill in its Big 8 Conference opener by 50.
Just when it appeared Orange was ready to step back into the spotlight again, they had a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Navy Bracket of the South Granville Holiday Tournament last week. It was the polar opposite of what many Orange players, coaches and fans expected.
Coach Derryl Britt planned to regroup with a good week of practice to prepare for a road trip to Vance County, who also had a lackluster tournament in Creedmoor.
Instead, the Panthers have lost its most influential player and, as a result, didn’t look competitive on Friday night.
Britt confirmed that senior forward Machai Holt is no longer on the team due to disciplinary reasons. Holt’s ubiquitous presence on the floor is certainly no secret to Britt or anyone else with a fraction of a basketball IQ that’s seen Orange play.
Holt created shots off the dribble with his slashing ability, setting up open looks for teammates Joey McMullin, Jerec Thompson and Jason Franklin. He was the team’s best finisher. At 6-foot-2, he was Orange’s best rebounder and defensive player.
Perhaps most precious of all, Holt had built a familiarity with his fellow upperclassmen, who had all played together since 5th grade at Pathways Elementary School.
With school not in session this week in Hillsborough, many of the Orange players didn’t know about Holt’s departure until hours before tipoff on Friday. It showed on the floor. Orange looked befuddled and disorganized as Vance County led 28-3 at the end of the first quarter. Jared Wood, a reserve guard, scored Orange’s only points in the opening ten minutes.
The Vipers went on to win 74-57, playing mainly reserves in the final ten minutes after leading by as many as 33 points.
McMullin, Orange’s leading scorer, went without a point in the first half.
Franklin, still nursing a bad back, missed his second straight game. With center Hunter Birch out, Orange suited up only eight players.
“We can’t stop because we don’t have a player or two with us,” Britt said. “We were prepared to play this game. Unfortunately with the issues, I think the guys were faced with reality that he wasn’t with us.”
McMullin scored 21 points, all in the second half, to lead Orange. Jerec Thompson finished with 18. Kendrell Brooks scored eleven, including eight in the first half where he carried most of the offensive load.
Afterward, Britt reflected on how much Holt’s departure will hurt his team.
“It impacts the offense. It impacts the defense,” Britt said. “It effects how we play in transition. It effects everything. Machai was a big part of the team. He did a lot of things for us. Unfortunately, he’s no longer with us. We have to adjust.”
No one is ready to throw in the towel on anything regarding this season, especially with crosstown rival Cedar Ridge next on the schedule Tuesday, which starts a string of three games in four days.
“We played good basketball in the spring and summer without Machai and some other players,” Britt said. “We have to get back to playing good basketball, and we can. We came out in the second half and outplayed Vance County. But when you put yourself in a 25-point hole, that’s hard to dig out of. We can’t afford to give away these games because these are conference games.”
Vance County (9-3, 1-1 in the Big 8) was led by Ta’Quon Lyons with 14 points. Phadol Jones came off the bench to score 12, while center Thomas Townes added eleven.
Orange (7-5, 1-1) will host Cedar Ridge on Tuesday at Panther Gymnasium. It will be a tripleheader with the junior varsity boys tipping off at 4:30.