The relationship between Xandrell Pennix and Derryl Britt is more than just player and coach.
It’s personal.
Pennix scored his 1,000th point in the Orange men’s basketball team’s win over Southern Alamance in the Central Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Panther Gymnasium on Monday night. Pennix eclipsed the plateau with a 15-foot jumper along the right wing, where it touched nothing but nylon. As the game was momentarily stopped, Pennix exchanged chest bumps with teammates Freddy Sneed and Kai Wade.
Pennix and Sneed were called up from the junior varsity team in 2021, a period of transition for Orange basketball. Two years later, they would help take Orange to the top of the Central Conference.
In a postgame chat, when he is asked how much Pennix helped him establish his footprint within the Orange program, Britt gets a distant look in his eyes.
It takes him a full 15 seconds to find the right words.
Because Pennix reminds Britt of the son he lost in 2008.
Just five days after reporting to boot camp at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, Derryl Lamont Britt Jr. died of an aneurysm at the age of 20.
“I’ve been a coach since I was 16 years old,” Britt said. “Of all the players I’ve ever had in my coaching career, Xandrell reminds me of my son the most. He’s quiet. He listens. He’s tenacious on defense. He can put the ball in the bucket with the best of them.”
Orange public address announcer David Gaddy introduces Pennix as the Silent Assassin. When Pennix does talk, his teammates know it’s something urgent.
Britt hails from the Commonwealth of Virginia, where Allen Iverson is an icon.
“That smaller frame guy who plays really, really tough was my son,” Britt said. “Xandrell plays that way and he’s not from there. He’s not afraid of any moment.”
Last season when Wade and Coleman Cloer were out with injuries, Britt was left searching for a point guard against Forsyth Country Day and East Chapel Hill. Pennix approached him and asked for the assignment, knowing he would face one ball hawk after another.
“He’s fearless and tough as nails,” Britt said.
Pennix finished with a season-high 21 points as the Panthers advanced to the conference tournament semifinals to face Person on Tuesday night. Orange will host the Rockets at 7:30 at Panther Gymnasium.
Pennix opened aggressively as the Patriots stood toe-to-toe with the Panthers early. Southern Alamance center Riley Warren scored eight points in the opening quarter. It appeared that Orange’s defense was still in recovery mode after a difficult loss to Eastern Alamance to finish the regular season on Friday. Early in the second quarter, the Patriots tied the score at 18-18 following a 3-pointer from Bo Day.
Pennix drained two 3-pointers in the second quarter as Orange pulled away. Wade and Hector Garrido added 3-poiners as the Panthers pushed its advantage to 42-21 at halftime. Pennix’s 1000th point was the first basket of the second half. Wade finished with 14 points.
The game marked the varsity debuts of Logan Edwards and L.J. Graves, who were called up from the junior varsity team for the postseason.
For the third year in a row, Orange and Person will square off in the Central Conference Tournament. Each matchup between the Rockets and the Panthers has been memorable this season.
On January 9th, Person led 28-9 early in the second quarter. The Panthers roared back to win in Roxboro despite Wade fouling out in the fourth quarter.
Two weeks ago, Person held off Orange 53-52 in Hillsborough. The Rockets are 23-2. Both of its losses came within five days last month, to Orange and Eastern Alamance.
Person defeated Cedar Ridge 63-54 in Roxboro on Monday night.
The Orange-Person game will be one of two games at Orange High on Tuesday night. In the opening game of the Central Conference semifinals, top-seeded Eastern Alamance will face Walter Williams. The Bulldogs edged Western Alamance 51-49 on Monday night in Burlington. The Eagles, the top-seed in the tournament, received a bye into the semifinals.