For the first time since 2021, the Cedar Ridge men’s basketball team has won its season opener.
In a tight game on Friday night, the Red Wolves held on to defeat Carrboro 54-52 at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Sophomore Jordan Jacobson finished with 20 points while senior Luke Orstad finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
With :5.3 seconds remaining, Or stand missed a freeze throw. Carrrboro’s Sam Kanjorski got free with a 3-point attempt at the buzzer, but Orstad soared across to obstruct the shot, which fell short.
Carrboro (o-1) took a 44-41 lead when Kanjorski knocked down a 3-pointer with 5:39 remaining in the fourth quarter. Orstad and Jacobson took over offensively for the Red Wolves. Orstand scored off a lay-in on a feed from Jacobson. After Cedar Ridge center Jack Kelsey grabbed a rebound, Jacobson found Orstad for another field goal to put the Red Wolves ahead 45-44. Following another Jaguars miss that was rebounded by Braeden Wilbourn, Jacobson sank a 3-pointer on a basket assisted by Orstad. Following a steal by Kelsey, Orstad knocked down two free throws after being fouled by Noah Simmons.
Carrboro’s Bakari Watkins led all scorers with 28 points.
Cedar Ridge shot 8-of-16 from 3-point range and roared out to a 17-2 lead to start the game. Orstad opened with a 3-pointer, followed by another from Jacobson, which forced a Jaguars timeout only two minutes in. After Watkins scored the opening Carrboro field goal, Orstad knocked down two free throws, followed by another 3-pointer from Jacobson.
Carrboro shot 6-of-9 from the field in the second quarter to cut its deficit down to 30-26 by intermission. Carrboro guard Joe Smith sparked the run with a 3-pointer with 5:44 remaining in the first half. Watkins scored the Jaguars final ten points of the first half, including a running one-hander with four seconds remaining in the first half.
In the third quarter, Kanjorski scored off a lay-in to tie the game at 30-30 with 6:27 remaining. Watkins hit two free throws to give the Jaguars its first lead at 31-30.
ORANGE 55, RIVERSIDE 48: Playing its second game in as many days, the Panthers found a way to prevail in a rhythmless, choppy finale to the Voyager Academy Tip-Off Classic in Durham on Saturday.
Kai Wade drained a 3-pointer with 4:32 remaining in the first half to give Orange a six-point lead and the Panthers maintained the lead for the rest of the game, though the Pirates made a late run behind junior Robert McDonald, who led all scorers with 21 points.
McDonald drained a 3-pointer to cut Orange’s lead to two points with 2:36 remaining in regulation, but the Pirates found themselves in foul trouble late in the game. Wade knocked down pressure free throws, sinking 5-of-6 from the stripe in the final quarter. As Riverside switched to a 3-2 zone, Xandrell Pennix picked up a deflected pass and scored off a lay-in.
Pennix, a senior, paced Orange with 15 points.
The two teams felt each other out during the opening minutes. Riverside led 10-9 at the end of the first quarter as the Panthers were limited to three field goals. Panther senior Michael Clark, who finished with 12 points, scored six in the opening quarter.
Riverside was held to six points in the second quarter as the Panthers took a 23-16 lead to the locker room. Orange created turnovers off its full court press and turned them into layups. Freddny Sneed, who finished with eleven points, slammed home his first dunk of the year to give Orange the lead for good.
Orange put four players in double figures. Wade, coming off a career-high 31 point game against Voyager Academy on Friday night, finished with 13 points.
It was the first game for new Riverside head coach Chris Mayshack, who replaced longtime coach Brian Strickland during the offseason.
Orange will host Mount Zion Academy on Friday night in Hillsborough.